Randomized prospective evaluation of the EEA stapler for colorectal anastomoses.

A randomized, prospective study should be done to evaluate any new procedure or instrument. Our experience with the end-to-end anastomosis (EEA) stapler suggests that an anastomosis can be created in a shorter time than is required for the traditional hand-sewn technique. This difference is even greater when the anastomosis is technically difficult and located deep within the pelvis. There appears to be little difference in the security of a hand-sewn anastomosis compared with that of stapled anastomosis. Postoperative complications appear similar. With the stapler, however, there is an increased risk of intraoperative complications that are not apparent with the traditional hand-sewn technique. These include rectal tears and anastomotic defects. It appears that the EEA stapler can save as many as 12 percent of rectums that otherwise might have to be removed because of technical inability to perform an anastomosis.