title: Bipolar radio-frequency-induced thermofusion of intestinal tissue - In vivo evaluation of a new fusion technique in an experimental study.
abstract: Bipolar radio-frequency-induced thermofusion (BiRTh) of intestinal tissue might replace conventional stapling devices which are associated with technical and functional complications. Previous results of our study group confirmed the feasibility to fuse intestinal tissue using BiRTh-induced thermofusion ex vivo. The aim of this study was now to evaluate the efficacy of fusing intestinal tissue in vivo by BiRTh-induced thermofusion.
  
  
  
  In male Wistar rats a blind bowel originating from the caecum was closed either by BiRTh (n = 24) or conventional suture (n = 16). At 6 h, 48 h, 4 days, and 2 weeks after the procedure caecum bursting pressure was measured to compare both groups.
  
  
  
  In total 18 of 21 (85.7%) thermofused and 15 of 16 (93.7%) sutured cecal stumps were primarily tight and leakage-proof (p > 0.05). The operative time was comparable in both groups without significant differences. Both groups showed increases in bursting pressure over the post-operative period. The mean bursting pressure for thermofusion was 47.8, 48.3, 55.2, and 68.0 mmHg, compared to 69.8, 51.5, 70.0 and 71.0 mmHg in the hand-sutured group (p > 0.05) after 6 h, 48 h, 4 days, and 2 weeks, respectively.
  
  
  
  These results suggest that BiRTh-induced thermofusion is a safe and feasible method for fusing intestinal tissue in this experimental in vivo model and could be an innovative approach for achieving gastrointestinal anastomoses.
authors.affiliation: a Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery , Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin , Berlin ;
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holmer
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Engineering Design, Micro and Medical, Department of Medical Engineering , Technische Universität Berlin ;
authors.forename: Hanno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.affiliation: a Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery , Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin , Berlin ;
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnology , Technische Universität Berlin , c/o DRFZ, Berlin ;
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaenicke
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Medical Biotechnology , Technische Universität Berlin , c/o DRFZ, Berlin ;
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lauster
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Engineering Design, Micro and Medical, Department of Medical Engineering , Technische Universität Berlin ;
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.affiliation: e German Society of General and Visceral Surgery , Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Heinz J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Buhr
authors.affiliation: d Helios Kliniken Schwerin, Department of General and Visceral Surgery , Schwerin ;
authors.forename: Jörg-Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Engineering Design, Micro and Medical, Department of Medical Engineering , Technische Universität Berlin ;
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zickerow
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007422:Intestines / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011312:Pressure; D011846:Radio Waves; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013537:Sutures
keywords: Intestinal anastomoses; radio-frequency surgery; radio-frequency-induced thermofusion; tissue fusion