Sutureless anastomosis of the small intestine and the colon in pigs using an absorbable intraluminal stent and fibrin glue

Sutureless anastomosis of the gastrointestinal tract using fibrin glue and sliding absorbable intraluminal nontoxic stents (SAINTs) has two shortcomings, stent shaft breakage and the lack of a transanal insertion device (TID) for low anterior resection. Reinforcement of the sucrose base SAINT (R SAINT) is described. Sutureless anastomosis is attempted using a stapleless mechanical stapler (SS) and used as preprototype to screen histologically and mechanically for TID anastomoses in the small intestine. Finally, a prototype absorbable head SAINT placement device (SAINT-PD) intended for TID, similar to the SS, is utilized on the small intestine. Fifty-seven Landrace pigs weighing 25-35 kg were used to perform 58 anastomoses, including the small intestine (15 manual, 19 SAINT, 11 SS, 5 R-SAINT, 6 SAINT-PD) and large intestine (2 R-SAINT). All anastomoses performed with the R-SAINT succeeded on the first attempt even if the shaft cracked. The SS technique proved impractical, but the histological screen results from 7 to 60 days did approximate those of corresponding SAINT anastomoses. The SAINT-PD demonstrated operational improvement over the SS, but the histological results were similar to both the SS and SAINT. The advantages of the R-SAINT and SAINT-PD are that they leave no foreign bodies or pressure clamping devices at the anastomostic site. Larger studies may show the R-SAINT and the SAINT-PD to be practical, new surgical tools in sutureless fibrin glue anastomosis.