Comparison of manually constructed and stapled anastomoses in colorectal surgery. West of Scotland and Highland Anastomosis Study Group.

The authors compared both the initial and the long-term outcomes of patients undergoing stapled and sutured colorectal anastomoses. Sutured and stapled large bowel anastomoses are perceived to be equally safe, but concern has been raised about increased rates of tumor recurrence with the use of stapling instruments. The outcome of patients with sutured and stapled colorectal anastomoses were compared in a prospective, multicenter, randomized study. Factors affecting long-term outcomes were assessed by both univariate and multivariate analysis. Seven hundred thirty-two patients were recruited. There was a significant increase in radiologic leakage in the sutured group (14.4% vs. 5.2%, p < 0.05), but there was no difference in clinical anastomotic leak rates, morbidity, or postoperative mortality. Tumor recurrence and cancer-specific mortality were higher in the sutured patients (7.5% and 6.7%, respectively) and in patients with anastomotic leaks. This study shows that suturing or stapling are equally safe in large bowel surgery. However, it also shows a long-term benefit of stapling in colorectal cancer patients.