Endoscopic full-thickness closure of large gastric perforations by use of tissue anchors.

BACKGROUND

A flexible needle-catheter tissue-anchoring device was developed to accomplish full-thickness tissue apposition of the GI wall. The aim of this study was to identify the performance of this device for repair of large iatrogenic gastric perforations in a porcine model.

OBJECTIVES

Six pigs.

DESIGN

Short-term survival animal study.

SETTINGS

Pigs were studied while they were under general anesthesia. Device performance in differing gastric locations and wall thicknesses was assessed by 2 perforations more than 2 cm in size created for each pig along the greater curvature and the anterior wall.

INTERVENTIONS

Each perforation was closed by parallel placement of tissue anchor sets sequentially along the length of the perforation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

One week follow-up endoscopy and necropsy were performed.

RESULTS

Twelve perforations were closed with the 48 tissue anchor sets. All animals survived for 1 week without clinical complications. Follow-up endoscopy and necropsy revealed that all tissue anchors remained with firmly held sutures and sealed perforations.

CONCLUSIONS

Full-thickness closure with a new tissue-anchoring device simply and successfully repaired large iatrogenic gastric perforations.