Practicability and indication for continuity preserving surgery increa
se by the use of staplers in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The mea
n rate of complications for the deep colorectal and colo-anal anastomo
sis decreased. Locoregional relapses occur as often as with other tech
niques, when the criteria of radicality have been observed. Stenoses a
re prevalently due to complications of extraperitoneal anastomoses. In
higher large bowel sections, only a few surgeons favor the use of sta
plers, as the risk for the patient increases without offering particul
ar advantages. The double stapling technique in deep anterior resectio
n is possible for small tumors and a large pelvis. For colonic pouches
linear staplers are completed by circular staplers for the subsequent
pouchanal anastomosis. Studies are running, actually, regarding indic
ation of the colonic pouch.