Multiple intestinal anastomosis in newborns and infants

Introduction. The present trial systematizes data, taken from one surgical center as an example, on treating patients with intestinal atresia and necrotizing enterocolitis with multiple intestinal anastomoses.

Material and methods. The trial is a retrospective review on the treatment of 13 newborn infants who since 2010 have been put multiple intestinal anastomoses; the treatment was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee. The average gestational age of patients was 31.2 weeks. The average age at the time of surgery – 7,9 days. Average weight - 2007 grams. The average number of anastomoses was 3.7 (range: 2-7). The average length of remained small intestine after the second surgery was 67.4 cm (range: 12-120 cm). No other surgical procedures, including gastrostomy or enterostomy, were performed. In all cases, surgical intervention ended with hermetic suturing of the abdominal cavity. Among them, there were 6 patients with the multifocal form of necrotizing enterocolitis; 6 patients had type IV atresia of the small intestine; 1 patient had the Ladd’s syndrome. Connection of intestinal segments was made by constructing several “end-to-end” anastomoses, double-row precision seam with PDS II 7/0 suture.

Results. In the postoperative period, complications associated with anastomosis construction, such as leakage and narrowing, were not recorded. Transit function of the gastrointestinal tract restored on day 4, on average, after the surgery (range: 2-6 days). There were no early lethal outcomes within the first 28 days after the surgery which were associated with the surgery. 2 patients with short bowel syndrome (remained small intestine was 12 and 25 cm) and multivisceral disorders died on day 72 and 64 after the surgery. Survived patients were transferred to full enteral feeding in 56 days, in average, after the second surgery (range - 15-120 days).

Conclusion. In our study, we have demonstrated potentials of a new surgical approach: one-stage formation of multiple intestinal anastomoses in case of multiple intestinal atresias as well as in case of multifocal forms of necrotizing enterocolitis. Maintaining the bowel length with multiple bowel anastomoses is very important factor for better survival of patients with the short bowel syndrome.