title: Lengthening of small bowel mesentery: stepladder incision technique.
abstract: The surgical option of choice in most patients with mucosal ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis is restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis. The tension-free anastomosis is one of the most critical steps but may be technically difficult or impossible in some patients because of shortened small bowel mesentery. Various techniques have been described to increase the length of small bowel mesentery. These techniques usually involve selective division of mesenteric blood vessels and meticulous dissection. We describe a new technique of stepladder transverse, transmesenteric incisions in the avascular windows of small bowel mesentery. This provides additional small bowel length without compromising blood supply to the pouch and a simple and safe method of increasing the length of small bowel mesentery. To date, no complications have been reported using this technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd., Weston, FL 33331, USA.
authors.forename: Mirza Khurrum
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.forename: Eric G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nogueras
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wexner
mesh_terms: D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000098:blood supply*; D008643:Mesentery / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*