In Search of the Holy Grail: Prevention & Treatment of Anastomotic Leaks Sunday, May 1, 10:30 - 11:45 am CME Credit Hours: 1.25 In many ways, anastomotic leak is the most feared complication of colo-rectal surgery. It leads to significant morbidity and mortality for the patient as well as severe psychological distress for the surgeon. This session was designed to present best practices surrounding prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of anastomotic leak. We will also delve into the root cause of this problem and present cutting-edge information that seeks to redefine how we look at leaks. Participants will walk away from this session with the most up-to-date data on leak prevention to improve care for their patients. Objectives At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to: Recognize methods to reduce anastomotic leak. Diagnose and triage patients with anastomotic leak. Describe strategies to treat leaks and salvage anastomoses. Agenda Co-Directors: Alexander Hawkins, MD, MPH, Nashville, TN Neil Hyman, MD, Chicago, IL Social Media Moderator: William Kethman, MD, New Orleans, LA 10:30 am Introduction Alexander Hawkins, MD, MPH, Nashville, TN Neil Hyman, MD, Chicago, IL 10:35 am “Why Do They Leak? It’s the Blood Supply!” Risk Factors and Prevention of Anastomotic Leak Dorna Jafari, MD, New York, NY 10:47 am “Why Do They leak? It’s the Microbiome!” The Role of the Microbiome in Anastomotic Leak Benjamin Shogan, MD, Chicago, IL 10:59 am “How Do We Know Who Sprung a Leak” Diagnosis of Anastomotic Leak Lawrence Lee, MD, PhD, Montreal, Canada 11:11 am “Plugging the Hole” Emergent Management and Subsequent Salvage of Anastomotic Leak Garrett Nash, MD, MPH, New York, NY 11:23 am Panel Discussion/Questions and Answers 11:45 am Adjourn