Prospective audit of an extramucosal technique for intestinal anastomosis

A computerized prospective audit was conducted of 500 intestinal anastomoses constructed in 470 operations on 461 consecutive patients between 1 January 1986 and 16 November 1990. All anastomoses were constructed by an open extramucosal method, emphasizing the avoidance of sutures through mucosa and avoiding the use of intestinal clamps. There were 214 men and 247 women, with a median age of 66 years. Clinical anastomotic leakage was detected from 11 (2.2 per cent) of 500 anastomoses. There were 18 (3.8 per cent) deaths resulting from the 470 operations, but only two (0.4 per cent) were associated with anastomotic leakage, which was not the direct cause of death in either. Peritonitis occurred as a consequence of leakage in two (8 per cent) of 26 resections for Crohn's disease, but the patients survived after reoperation. The single-layer extramucosal technique is probably the safest method available for intestinal suture.