ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Chirurgia 1999 December;12(6):409-14

Copyright © 1999 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Bowel anastomosis using a biofragmentable ring. Personal experience

Balzano R., Ragni F., Piccini I., Pezzola D., Pinelli D., Vittoria A., Damiani E., Vaiana R., Braga M.

Background. Personal experience using biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR) in bowel anastomosis is reported.
Methods. Starting January 1993 to July 1996, 155 intestinal anastomosis were performed using BAR in 153 patients: 114 colonic neoplasms, 24 diverticular diseases and 15 unusual bowel disease. Eighteen emergency operations were performed, while 135 patients had an accurate bowel preparation before surgery. In two patients double bowel anastomosis using two BAR each were performed.
Results. In this series of patients four cases of preoperative mortality were reported (2.6%). This mortality is not connected with BAR anastomosis; instead several minor complications occurred in 38 patients. Delayed canalization in 18 cases seems to be caused by the small size of BAR or by inadequate intestinal preparation that usually occurs in emergency operations. After surgery all patients were followed up and endoscopic esamination was performed in 64 patients. All anastomosis looked quite, pervious and resilient. No anastomosis stenosis was found.
Conclusions. In personal experience and from recent reviewed reports, BAR seems to be a rapid, effective and safe device for sutureless anastomosis.