ANTERIOR RESECTION OF THE RECTUM USING A DOUBLE STAPLING TECHNIQUE - RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 100 PATIENTS

The double stapling technique for anterior resection of the rectum sin ce its first description in 1980 has greatly facilitated the anastomos is of the low rectum. Few people use it also for high anastomosis of t he rectum, the majority preferring hand-suture. We used this technique for 100 consecutive anterior resections of the rectum performed betwe en August 1990 and November 1992. 51 patients had diverticulitis, 46 h ad carcinoma of the rectosigmoid colon, 2 had complications after pelv ic irradiation and one had Crohn's disease. Surgical complications occ urred in 22 patients. They include 8 patients with anastomotic leak (4 severe and 4 minor), all operated for carcinoma. Mortality was 3%. Ou r experience shows that this technique can be safely performed in a te aching hospital with many surgeons. It was a safe technique for high a nastomosis. Surgical complication rate was higher in patients with rec urrence of carcinoma and in patients previously irradiated.