Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging for Colorectal Surgery: A Health Technology Assessment.

The evidence suggests that, compared with visual assessment alone, adding ICGFI to colorectal surgery can help reduce anastomotic leaks, reoperations, and sepsis but may not have an effect on hospital readmissions or length of stay. The effect of ICGFI on mortality is unclear. ICGFI is more effective and less costly than visual assessment alone. We estimate that publicly funding ICGFI for colorectal surgery in Ontario would result in cost savings of $19.03 million over the next 5 years. No literature was found on the patient experience of ICGFI. The qualitative literature on preferences and values for patients who had undergone colorectal cancer surgery identified anastomotic leak and quality of life as key outcomes, with study participants expressing concerns about surgical outcomes and cancer recurrence.