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

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. 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. 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. 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.