A Comparison of the Healing Process of Two Single-Layer Suture Techniques for Experimental Small Bowel Anastomosis

A comparison was made between the effect of the Gambee technique with inversion of the serosa and a submucosa technique on wound healing in small bowel anastomoses of 15 pigs. The submucosa technique avoids a broad serosal contact by burying the horizontally placed suture sling in the submucosal layer. Polydioxanon 4-0 and 6-0 served as suture material. Two anastomoses of each technique were constructed in one animal. Five animals were sacrificed after 4 days, 3 weeks, and 3 months, respectively. The anastomoses were evaluated by gross appearance, microangiography and histology. The submucosa technique resulted in a significant smaller scar with fewer necrotic areas (p