Short‐term functional outcome following elective surgery for complicated sigmoid diverticular disease: sutured or stapled end‐to‐end anastomosis to the proximal rectum?

Objective The aim of this retrospective non‐randomized study was to evaluate the short‐term functional outcome following elective resectional surgery for complicated sigmoid diverticular disease, and to compare results of patients having hand‐sewn or stapled end‐to‐end colonic anastomosis to the proximal rectum. Patients and methods Between 1983 and 1995, of 182 consecutive patients referred to our Institution for surgical treatment of complicated sigmoid diverticular disease, 137 underwent elective left hemicolectomy with primary colonic anastomosis to the proximal rectum, at a level above the peritoneal reflection. Twenty‐one patients were excluded from the study because of a covering stoma ( n =15), or a side‐to‐end ( n =5) or side‐to‐side ( n =1) anastomosis. All remaining 116 patients had an end‐to‐end anastomosis without covering stoma. Two groups were compared according to the type of anastomosis performed. Group I comprised the 67 patients who had a hand‐sewn anastomosis, and group II the 49 patients whose anastomosis was stapled. Outcome was assessed at 6 months after surgery and compared in the two groups. Assessment included specific morbidity (anastomotic leakage, haemorrhage, fistulation and stenosis, pelvic sepsis), faecal incontinence, constipation, dyschesia, daily stool frequency, and stool consistency. Results Preoperative patient details were comparable in both groups. There was no post‐operative mortality, and the general morbidity rate was similar in both groups ( P =0.85). There was no anastomotic leakage or haemorrhage, and no fistulation or pelvic sepsis in either group. One patient in group I, and two from group II, developed flatus incontinence, and a further patient from group II developed incontinence to liquid stool ( P =0.17, group I vs group II). We observed better functional outcome following hand‐sewn anastomosis. Three group II patients developed anastomotic stenosis compared with none in group I ( P =0.04). Constipation (9% vs 28%, P =0.005) and dyschesia (18% vs 39%, P =0.03) were more frequent in group II. Excluding constipated patients ( n =20), daily stool frequency was lower (mean 1.2 ± 0.6 vs 2 ± 1.3, P =0.0002), and more frequently of normal consistency (79% vs 43%, P =0.0001) in group I. Subgroup analysis failed to show significant differences in functional outcome in both groups in relation to the specific indications for surgery. Conclusion These retrospective data suggest for the first time in the reported literature that hand‐sewn colonic anastomosis to the proximal rectum provides a better short‐term functional outcome than stapled anastomosis following elective resectional surgery for complicated sigmoid diverticulosis.