Impact of Deserosalization on Small Bowel Anastomosis Healing in Swine: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Healing is related to gastrointestinal anastomotic leak, which is a severe and common complication. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and the impact of deserosalization on healing of jejuno-jejunal anastomoses in an animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven swine underwent three types of side-to-side jejuno-jejunal anastomosis twice and survived seven days. Three different types of jejuno-jejunal side-to-side anastomoses were performed twice at 20-cm distance from each other in each animal: no serosa removal, one-sided, and two-sided serosa removal, respectively. Bursting pressure, tissue hydroxyproline concentration, and pathology scores were evaluated. RESULTS: Hydroxyproline tissue concentration was a mean±standard deviation of 0.37±0.09, 0.38±0.08, and 0.30±0.05 nmoI/ml respectively (p<0.05). Bursting pressure was a mean±standard deviation of 59.02±8.60, 73.20±11.09, and 100.01±7.49 mmHg, respectively (p<0.001). The histopathological assessment did not find any statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION: Deserosalization in jejuno-jejunal anastomosis was technically feasible and seemed to improve mechanical strength and collagen deposition in this experimental porcine model. Further investigation is warranted.

A new pancreaticojejunostomy technique: a battle against postoperative pancreatic fistula.

AIM: To present a new technique of end-to-side, duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy with seromuscular jejunal flap formation, and insertion of a silicone stent. METHODS: We present an end-to-side, duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy with seromuscular jejunal flap formation, and the insertion of a silicone stent. This technique was performed in thirty-two consecutive patients who underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy procedure by the same surgical team, from January 2005 to March 2011. The surgical procedure performed in all cases was classic pancreaticoduodenectomy, without preservation of the pylorus. The diagnosis of pancreatic leakage was defined as a drain output of any measurable volume of fluid on or after postoperative day 3 with an amylase concentration greater than three times the serum amylase activity. RESULTS: There were 32 patients who underwent end-to-side, duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy with seromuscular jejunal flap formation. Thirteen of them were women and 19 were men. These data correspond to 40.6% and 59.4%, respectively. The mean age was 64.2 years, ranging from 55 to 82 years. The mean operative time was 310.2 ± 40.0 min, and was defined as the time period from the intubation up to the extubation of the patient. Also, the mean time needed to perform the pancreaticojejunostomy was 22.7 min, ranging from 18 to 25 min. Postoperatively, one patient developed a low output pancreatic fistula, three patients developed surgical site infection, and one patient developed pneumonia. The rate of overall morbidity was 15.6%. There was no 30-d postoperative mortality. CONCLUSION: This modification appears to be a significantly safe approach to the pancreaticojejunostomy without adversely affecting operative time.