Comparison of a New High-Frequency Electric Welding System for Intestinal Closure with Hand-Sewn In Vivo Pig Model.

Han, Shuai; Cai, Zhai; Ning, Xuanjing; He, Linyun; Chen, Jun; Huang, Zonghai; Zhou, Huabin; Huang, Dequn; Zhang, Pusheng; Li, Zhou

BACKGROUND Various surgical small intestinal anastomosis methods are in current use, but improvements are always desired. Thus, we compared the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of a new high-frequency electric welding (HFEW) system for sealing the small bowel versus a hand-sewn in vivo pig model. MATERIALS AND METHODS The 96 bowel segments of three pigs were randomized to be sutured either by the HFEW-300 PATONMED device (E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine) or hand-sewn, and mucosa-to-mucosa fusions were subjected in vivo testing in the pigs. Bursting pressures, suture time, thermal damage, and the temperature of sealed ends were measured. RESULTS Segments that had been treated with a hand-sutured ligature or double-sealed with HFEW were compared. Burst pressure was significantly higher in the hand-sutured group than in the HFEW group (136.2 mm Hg versus 75.8 mm Hg, P<.01). All 48 pig small bowels closed by the HFEW-300 generator showed a success rate of 100.0%. The closing time in the HFEW group was significantly shorter (P<.01). The pathological changes of the closed ends were mainly presented as acute thermal- and pressure-induced injuries. CONCLUSIONS Outcomes of the current in vivo study suggest that HFEW is an effective and safe method for ligation of the small bowel in pigs.