title: Experimental study of colonic anastomosis with a degradable stent in a porcine model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intestinal anastomosis is a major technical component of gastrointestinal procedures. We have developed a new procedure of colonic anastomosis with a degradable stent. This article evaluates this procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty pigs were assigned randomly to a stent group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). A colonic anastomosis with a degradable stent was performed in the stent group, and hand-sewn anastomosis was performed in the control group. Pigs of each group were divided evenly into 4 subgroups according to time of death (days 3, 7, and 14, and month 10 postoperatively) to evaluate the healing of anastomosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All procedures were completed successfully. The surgical time of the stent group was significantly less than the control group. No complications occurred in either group. Bursting pressure of the stent group was significantly higher than the control group on postoperative days 3 and 7. No significant difference of hydroxyproline content or microvessel density was found between the 2 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The procedure of colonic anastomosis with a degradable stent is a simple, feasible, and safe procedure in this porcine model.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, The Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Zhejiang University, No 3, East Qinchun Rd., Hangzhou, People's Republic of China 310016.
authors.forename: YiFan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: XiuJun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: HuanJie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: YueLong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: DiYu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D011897:Random Allocation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015607:Stents; D013552:Swine