title: Reinforcement of colonic anastomoses with a laser and dye-enhanced fibrinogen.
abstract: The incidence of anastomotic leakage in colonic surgery is approximately 10%. We evaluated a technique of laser-fibrinogen reinforcement to strengthen experimental colonic anastomoses. The technique consisted of the topical application of indocyanine green dye-enhanced fibrinogen to the serosal surface of two-layer inverting anastomoses, followed by exposure with an 808-nm diode laser. In the 28 rabbits used for this study, mean bursting pressure at time 0 was 108 +/- 13 mm Hg in the group receiving anastomoses with sutures alone and 173 +/- 20 mm Hg in the group for which the sutured anastomosis was reinforced with laser-fibrinogen. The difference in bursting pressures between the two groups was statistically significant at time 0. However, at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days, the anastomosis became stronger in both groups and the difference in strength was reduced; the sutured group had more exceptionally weak (less than 110 mm Hg) bonds than the group treated by laser. Thus, laser-fibrinogen reinforcement significantly enhances the early strength of sutured colonic anastomoses. This technique may reduce the incidence of leakage during the first postoperative week and the associated complications in a clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moazami
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Oz
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Bass
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Treat
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001065:Appendix / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007208:Indocyanine Green / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007834:Lasers; D011312:Pressure; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D005340:Fibrinogen; D007208:Indocyanine Green