[Current status and perspectives of mechanical suture techniques in abdominal and thoracic surgery]

In surgery the application of mechanical suture techniques is increasing. In order to inform the surgeons in detail about the different surgical stapling instruments being available today, the mechanical suture devices are listed in this article. These instruments can be divided into linear staplers, circular and linear anastomosis staplers, ligating clips and skin and fascia staplers. Own experiences with stapling instruments, their advantages and disadvantages as well as the different forms of application are described. Further information is given on the increasing use of absorbable staples and of new anastomosis techniques, i.e. instruments creating an anastomosis on the principle of compression.