Mechanical suture methods in thoracic and abdominal surgery.

Mechanical suturing procedures on the bowel, lung, bronchi and pulmonary vessels have been used on 264 occasions in 180 thoracic and abdominal operations. The instruments proved simple to use and produced reliable good quality closures, for the most part without manual reinforcement. There were 2 technical failures, one ending fatally, after colo-colostomy. Two minor postoperative suture leaks were encountered in 122 operations on the alimentary tract, but no leakage or other problem has arisen in 58 pulmonary cases. The staple-suturing methods described are safe and straightforward, and it is believed that they represent a significant advance in the techniques of thoracic and abdominal surgery, which can usefully be applied in many situations.