[Inflammatory stenoses of the rectal anastomosis: a complication of nonresorbable suture material]

Inflammatory anastomotic stenosis requiring reoperation developed in 8 patients within 9 months to 12 years after rectal resection. The clinical course in combination with the macroscopic and histologic findings allowed to identify nonabsorbable suture material leading to stenosis trough acute and chronic-proliferative foreign body reactions in all cases. The danger of stenosis arises generally in infectious tissue in which synthetic absorbable are superior to all nonabsorbable materials.