The fate of the EEA stapled anastomosis: a clinico-radiological study of 38 patients.

Despite the widespread use of the EEA stapling device, little is known about the eventual fate of the stapled anastomosis. In a study of 38 stapled colonic anastomoses the staples were found to have passed out rectally in 11 patients (29%) within 6 months of surgery. Staple loss occurred only when the small or medium sized cartridges were used (P less than 0.02). Anastomotic stenosis developed in 5 patients (13.2%) and was also related to the use of the smaller size cartridges. In order to minimise these problems every effort should be made to use the large EEA cartridge.