NEOVASCULARIZATION OF CANINE SUTURED AND STAPLED SMALL-INTESTINAL ANASTOMOSES

New blood vessels develop as a gastrointestinal anastomosis heals. The morphologic aspects of this neovascularization were studied in 22 dog s, each of which underwent one sutured and one stapled small bowel ana stomosis. At intervals ranging from three to 24 days after surgery, th e dogs were killed, and the bowel was injected with Batson's compound or india ink. The pattern of vascular growth across the anastomotic si te was studied. Both stapled and sutured anastomoses caused an increas e in submucosal capillary density at day three compared with control s pecimens taken from bowel remote from the anastomotic site. This incre ase was maintained consistently through day 24 in sutured anastomoses but had decreased by day five in stapled anastomoses. Growth of submuc osal vessel across the anastomotic site could be demonstrated by day t hree in sutured and day four in stapled anastomoses. The more vigorous inflammatory response associated with sutured anastomoses may be resp onsible for more rapid and prominent neovascularization.