EXPERIMENTAL-TECHNIQUE FOR (LAPAROSCOPIC) BOWEL ANASTOMOSIS - TRANSIENT ENDOLUMINALLY STENTED ANASTOMOSIS (TESA)

A new technique for bowel anastomosis is presented. The principle of t ransient endoluminally stented anastomosis (TESA) is based on anastomo sing the two bowel ends around a resorbable stent of polyglycolic acid (PGA) in seroserosal contact. To evaluate the feasibility of TESA for bowel anastomosis, laparoscopic colon anastomosis following sigma res ection was performed in five juvenile pigs. Three animals were sacrifi ced 2 months postoperatively, and the anastomoses were examined radiol ogically and histologically. One animal was sacrificed at day 2, suffe ring from acute peritonitis due to small bowel leak but with regular c olon anastomosis. One trial was terminated at the fourth postoperative day because of insufficiency of the colon anastomosis. Three animals did not have any complications during the 2-month follow-up. in these animals the colon anastomoses were not detectable radiologically at th e time of death. The microscopic examination showed intact mucosal and muscular layers without foreign material. Our study demonstrates that laparoscopic application of TESA to colon anastomosis is a feasible m ethod. These results will further stimulate our future research for an anastomosis technique avoiding remnant foreign material.