Comparison of delayed versus immediate coloanal anastomosis in patients with low rectal cancer: a recent meta-analysis

Compared with ICA, DCA is associated with significantly lower risks of overall complications, anastomotic complications, and anastomotic leakage in sphincter-preserving surgery for LRC, without compromising oncological safety. It demonstrates comparable performance in core perioperative indicators and may offer particular advantages for patients seeking minimally invasive approaches, those unable to tolerate stomas, or those at high risk of anastomotic failure. Therefore, DCA represents a viable and potentially preferable surgical option in the management of LRC. This study strictly adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and was registered on the PROSPERO international systematic review registration platform (registration number: CRD420251233006).