Investigation of a new strategy to prevent anastomotic leak following colorectal surgery

A2002555

Anastomotic leaks following colorectal surgery are among the most debilitating complications. T With funding from Leeds Hospitals Charity, trainee surgeon Josh Burke has been conducting translational research and evaluated the mechanisms underlying anastomotic leaks, advancing understanding of their occurrence. His experimental work includes testing a novel rapid-setting gel containing regenerative cells, which has shown promising results in containing leaks and preventing widespread abdominal contamination, thereby reducing patient illness. Ongoing discussions with a commercial partners aim to further develop this technology for clinical use.

Additionally, the post-doctoral researcher Juan Martinez Ojeda is investigating a novel slow-release analgesic to minimize pain after laparoscopic surgery. Encouraging results have confirmed the efficacy of this nanomedicine, and further work is underway to extend its application to other surgical procedures, which will be the focus of future investigations.

Lead Researcher	Prof David Jayne Professor of Surgery
Co-Researchers	Mr Josh Burke Clinical Research Fellow  Dr Juan Martinez Ojeda Associate Research Fellow,
Host Organisation/CSU	Abdominal Medicine and Surgery Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Grant Amount	£21,707.61
Start Date	01/04/2023
Estimated Duration	5 months
Impact Areas	Innovation & Health Technologies
Tags/key notes	Oral and gastrointestinal