[Advantages and disadvantages of cervical esophageal anastomosis using a stapler]

The authors evaluate the advantages and shortcomings of cervical anastomosis of the oesophagus by means of stapler according to the following criteria: 1. difficulty of implementation, 2. immediate results--fistulae, 3. long-term results--stenoses, 4. costs. The authors operated, using a stapler, 26 patients who developed in four instances /15.4%/ a fistula. By comparison with a retrospective group of 21 patients with eight fistule /38%/ where the anastomosis was sutured manually, they found that by using a stapler the number of complications declined. A disadvantage is the high price of staplers.