Prospective randomized controlled trial comparing the use of 3.5-mm and 4.8-mm staples in gastric surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the use of 4.8-mm and 3.8-mm staples in gastric resection.


METHODS
A series of 60 patients underwent distal or proximal gastrectomy. A 4.8-mm GIA universal stapler was randomly assigned for use in 50% of the patients and a 3.5-mm GIA universal stapler was assigned for use in the remaining 50%.


RESULTS
Bleeding was observed in 20 patients (12 in the 4.8-mm group and eight in the 3.5-mm group). In the 4.8-mm group, bleeding was less frequent in patients with a stomach wall thickness of 7.0-9.0mm. In the 3.5-mm group, bleeding was less frequent in patients with a stomach wall thickness of 5.0-7.0mm. Inappropriate staple formation was observed in patients with thick stomach walls in each group.


CONCLUSIONS
The appropriate staple size for gastric surgery may depend on the thickness of the stomach wall.
Kunisaki
Chikara
C
Department of Surgery, Gastroenterological Center, Yokohama City University, 4-57, Urafune-cho, Minami-ku, Yokohama, 232-0024, Japan. s0714@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
Makino
Hirochika
H
Takagawa
Ryo
R
Yamamoto
Naoto
N
Nagano
Yasuhiko
Y
Fujii
Shoichi
S
Kosaka
Takashi
T
Ono
Hidetaka A
HA
Akiyama
Hirotoshi
H
Shimada
Hiroshi
H
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013528:Surgical Staplers