[NSAIDs and risk of anastomotic leakage after gastrointestinal surgery].

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most popular analgesics administered after open or laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery. By blocking the cyclooxygenase, they are likely to inhibit fibroblastic response to tissue injury and therefore to impair the healing process. Recent publications, based on large cohorts of patients, have highlighted the significant association between AINS administration and the occurrence of postoperative anastomotic complications. Even if not yet supported by high level methodological proofs, cautions should be placed on the use of this pharmaceutical class in this setting. Many questions remain unresolved, especially concerning the influence of NSAIDs cox-2 selectivity, or administration duration.