Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Angiography (ICG-FA) in the management of intestinal injuries following penetrating abdominal trauma: a case-control study comparing postoperative outcomes

The surgical management of penetrating hollow visceral injuries includes primary repair or exteriorization. Tissue perfusion at the site of gastrointestinal suture repair may be challenging to assess and is vulnerable to local energy transfer-related injury, micro- or macro-circulatory insufficiency, or splanchnic vasoconstriction for various reasons. Breakdown of suture lines can lead to potentially life-threatening complications. The intraoperative use of Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Angiography (ICG-FA) may reduce the risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality by ensuring optimal tissue perfusion at the chosen site of suture repair. We conducted a retrospective review of the postoperative complications, length of Intensive Care (ICU) stay, and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing laparotomy, with and without ICG-FA for penetrating abdominal trauma at a Level One Trauma Center in Cape Town, South Africa. One hundred patients were included in the study, of which 20 underwent laparotomy with ICG-FA, and 80 did not. The overall complication rate was significantly lower in the ICG-FA group (OR 0.336, p-value=0.0412). The anastomotic leak rates in the ICG-FA and control groups were 0% and 6.25%, respectively (p-value=0.5799). Revision surgery was required in 2 and 14 patients in the ICG-FA and control groups, respectively (OR 0.524, p-value=0.516). The mean length of stay in hospital showed no statistical difference, 8.6 and 5.3 days for the ICG-FA and control groups, respectively (p-value=0.092). The mean length of ICU stay was 6.3 and 2.3 days for the ICG-FA and control groups, respectively (p-value=0.1642). Lower levels of overall postoperative complications and lower rates of revision surgery in patients undergoing laparotomy with ICG-FA are promising. Non-significant findings regarding the relationship between the usage of ICG-FA and anastomotic leak rates suggest the need for larger randomized studies.