Objective:

To determine the evolution and patterns of research on anastomotic leakage in abdominal surgery in Latin America and the world.Methods: Cross-sectional bibliometric study. The Scopus database was used as a source of data.

Results:

In the global analysis, 1718 articles were identified, while in Latin America, only 39 articles were found, representing 2.2% of the global scientific production on the subject. The global production predominantly consisted of original articles (80.85%; n=1389), followed by reviews (9.37%; n=161). International collaboration accounted for 10.2%. In Latin America, the majority of publications were original articles (87.18%; n=34), followed by reviews (7.69%; n=3), with international collaboration at 15.38%. Few Latin American countries have had collaboration, including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Chile. Both globally and in Latin America, the patterns and trends in research were similar, with a focus on “colorectal surgery,” “postoperative complications,” and “retrospective studies.” In Latin America, there is a significant niche for the search for predictive biomarkers of anastomotic leakage.

Conclusion:

Research on anastomotic leakage in abdominal surgery has shown gradual growth, primarily focusing on retrospective studies, with objectives related to treatment outcomes and the search for predictors. Latin America has contributed just over 2% of the global production, mainly focusing on the development of retrospective studies and the identification of potential biomarkers.