A comparison of stapled and hand-sewn anastomoses in Crohn's disease

Sixty-eight patients with Crohn's disease who underwent intestinal resection were randomly divided into 2 groups: the stapled group (32 patients, 40 anastomoses) with functional end-to-end anastomoses made with linear staplers and with circular stapling anastomoses, and the hand-sewn group (36 patients, 48 anastomoses), with anastomoses achieved by layer-to-layer suturing. There were no significant differences in operative indications, age, sex, blood loss, or length of hospital stay between the groups. The operation times for right hemicolectomy and total colectomy in the stapled group were significantly shorter than those in the hand-sewn group. There were no significant differences in anastomotic dehiscence or recurrence between the stapling and hand-sewn procedures. These results indicate that these stapling techniques, even though producing an everted anastomosis, are not an adverse procedure for Crohn's disease.