A prospective study of outcome of resection anastomosis in elective GI surgeries.

Background: Bowel anastomosis is successful when there is accurate union with no tension.Previous literature has compared between hand suturing and stapling devices in retrospective andprospective designs with varying outcomes. In this study a comparison between hand suturing andsurgical stapling in patients undergoing bowel surgery is done. Methods: A prospective study designover a period of 12 months was conducted in 40 patients undergoing elective resection andanastomosis. Different time parameters for anastomisis procedure, time taken for bowel sounds toreturn, resumption of oral feeds, postoperative hospital stay were collected. Follow up for 30 dayspost-operative was done. Results: In total forty patients were studied out of which twenty patientsunderwent hand sewn and twenty patients underwent stapler anastomosis. Main group analysis inmean time durations between hand sewn and stapler anastomosis were respectively; 35.25 minutesand 12 minutes for anastomosis, 3.4 days and 3.35 days for return of bowel sounds, 4.08 days and4 days for resumotion of oral feeds, 9.35 days and 8.50 days for post-operative hospital stay. A sub-group analysis was also done.Conclusion: Stapler anastomosis had shorter anastomosis time andtotal duration of operation compared to hand sewn anastomosis. However no difference was seen inreturn of bowel activity, resumption of oral feeds and duration of hospital stay.