Oedema at the site of small-bowel anastomoses

Abstract

Abstract The change in water content of bowel tissue in the area of an end-to-end anastomosis was estimated by a desiccation technique. Significant oedema, sufficient to cause 5-10 per cent increase in tissue weight, could be demonstrated at the anastomotic site up to 96 hours after operation, when compared with control tissue. However, up to 48 hours the anastomoses were neither more nor less oedematous than the remainder of the bowel. After that time the oedema of the unanastomosed bowel began to decrease. It is concluded that the degree of oedema demonstrated, if applied to the human case, could only provok obstruction of a stoma already of critical size.