[Automatic stapling devices in the surgery of the lung and the bronchial tree (author's transl)].

Until 1969 the bronchial stump was closed by hand with a suture of steel wire; the rate of empyemas reached 4.2%. After using the automatic stapler device TA 30 and TA 55 the postoperative empyema rate, including stump, insufficiencies, decreased to an average of 3%. Since 1972 the stapling devices had been used regularly in lung surgery. The rate of postoperative empyema and stump insufficiency in 378 patients operated 1974-1980 dropped to 1.6%. Technical and surgical failures were the cause for the disasters. For 4 years there has been no stump insufficiency.