Evaluation of anastomoses of small intestine in dogs: crushing versus noncrushing suturing techniques.

Fifteen dogs were used to compare simple interrupted crushing and noncrushing single-layer small intestinal anastomoses. Groups of 5 dogs each were used to evaluate both techniques at 3 postsurgical times--days 4, 21, and 42. There were no significant differences between the 2 techniques at the evaluations. Grossly, there were marked adhesion formations at the 3 evaluation times. Luminal diameters at the anastomotic site indicated there may have been only slightly more stenosis with the noncrushing technique. Bursting pressure studies determined that the anastomotic strengths of the 2 techniques were not measurably different statistically. However, their bursting strengths had greatly increased from day 4 to day 21. There were also significant increases in bursting strengths of jejunal segments caudal to the anastomotic sites from day 4 to day 42. Subjective histopathologic evaluations of anastomotic sites revealed that the types and amounts of inflammation, collagen content, continuity of layers, and severity of peritonitis were not different within each time. It was concluded that both techniques for small intestinal anastomoses in the dog have equal value.