[Intraluminal splinting of problematic intestinal anastomoses with biomaterial tubes]

We performed small intestinal dissection in 80 laboratory rats. A critical anastomosis was achieved by two point adaptation of small intestine with single sutures. 10 control animals receiving no intestinal splinting died within two days of operation. The remaining 70 animals underwent intestinal internal splinting with tubes of different absorbable (Polyglactine, Collagen, and B111) and non-absorbable (Polyurethane) biomaterials. Significantly smaller leakage rates in the therapy groups proved the principle of internal splinting of complicated anastomoses in this animal model to be effective.