The impact of body weight on stapled anastomosis in pediatric patients

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to clarify the impact of body weight on outcomes of stapled anastomosis in pediatric patients.

Methods: A total of 253 pediatric patients who underwent intestinal anastomosis were classified according to body weight (<3.5 kg: light group, ≥3.5 kg: heavy group), and clinical outcomes of stapled and hand-sewn anastomoses were compared.

Results: The light and heavy groups included 77 (stapled: n = 13, hand-sewn: n = 64) and 176 (stapled: n = 58, hand-sewn: n = 118) patients, respectively. In both groups, stapled anastomosis was associated with reduced time to initial oral feeding (light group: 4 vs. 7 days, p = 0.006; heavy group: 3 vs. 5 days, p < 0.001) and full feeding (light group: 12 vs. 16 days, p = 0.026; heavy group: 7 vs. 9 days, p = 0.001), whereas its complication rate was not significantly different from that of hand-sewn anastomosis (light group: 30.8 vs. 12.5%, p = 0.112; heavy group: 3.4 vs. 2.5%, p = 0.665). In patients who underwent stapled anastomosis, the complication rate was significantly higher in the light group (30.8 vs. 3.4%, p = 0.009), with two cases of volvulus related to anastomotic dilatation.

Conclusions: Stapled anastomosis is an effective procedure facilitating prompt oral feeding. However, the risk of complications, including volvulus related to anastomotic dilatation, should be considered among patients weighing <3.5 kg.

Level of evidence: III.

Keywords: Anastomotic dilatation; Children; Infant; Neonate; Stapled functional end-to-end anastomosis.