Mechanical sutures in resection of the rectum in carcinoma

: In the period between January 1, 1992, and January 1, 1994, on the 3rd Department of the 1st Surgical Clinic, Clinical Center in Belgrade, 116 pt's has been operated due to a rectal carcinoma. In all of these pt's an anterior resection of the rectum and a colorectal stapled anastomosis was performed. Colorectal anastomosis was performed using an American EEA stapler on the different segments of the rectum. Overall, a 30 or 25.86% intraperitoneal anastomosis have been performed, 18 (15.51%) were done on the medium third of the rectum and ultra low anastomosis were performed in 68 pt's (58.63%). In our group there was 6 pt's with the anastomotic leakage and a leakage occurred only in the group of pt's with ultra-low colorectal anastomosis. In three pt's after conservative treatment a spontaneous healing of the anastomosis happened while in the other three pt's an explorative laparatomy with loop ileostomy had to be performed. One patient died during the postoperative treatment. The patient died on the second postoperative day due to a mesenteric thrombosis and gangrene of the intestines.