Evaluation of serosal patch supplementation of surgical anastomoses in intestinal segments from canine cadavers.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare leakage and maximum intraluminal pressures of intestinal anastomoses with and without serosal patch supplementation in dogs. SAMPLE Healthy small intestine segments from cadavers of 2 dogs euthanized for reasons unrelated to the study. PROCEDURES 12 enterectomy constructs were created by anastomosis of intestinal segments with a standard simple continuous suture pattern. Half of the constructs were randomly selected for additional serosal patch support. Leakage and maximum intraluminal pressures were measured in and compared between patch-supplemented and nonsupplemented constructs. RESULTS: Mean ± SD leakage pressure was significantly greater for the patch-supplemented anastomoses (81.8 ± 6.7 mm Hg) than for the nonsupplemented anastomoses (28.0 ± 6.7 mm Hg). Maximum intraluminal pressures were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Serosal patch-supplemented anastomoses were able to sustain a significantly higher pressure before leakage than were nonsupplemented anastomoses in intestinal specimens from canine cadavers. The serosal patch supplementation may protect against leakage immediately after enterectomy in dogs.