Endoluminal vacuum therapy for rectal anastomosis is safe and does not increase risk of strictures in a swine model

BACKGROUND: Endoluminal vacuum therapy has been experimentally used in patients with esophageal, rectal, and Roux-en-Y bypass surgery. Yorkshire pigs are good animal models for studying the safety and efficacy of endoluminal vacuum therapy and prior studies have employed these devices in rectal anastomotic defects, as rescue therapy for early anastomotic leaks, as well as prophylactic therapy as a means of protecting high risk anastomosis. AIM: The objective of this study is to assess the effects of a prophylactic vacuum assist device on bowel tissue surrounding an intact anastomosis at 30 days post device removal. METHODS: A total of seven pigs underwent a rectal resection with primary anastomosis: five experimental pigs with a prophylactic endoluminal vacuum device in place for 5 days post-surgery and two control pigs with no device. All animals were euthanized on the 35(th) post-operative day and subjected to a necropsy with a histopathological evaluation of the rectal anastomosis. RESULTS: No significant difference in inflammation or strictures was observed between the anastomosis of animals with the endoluminal vacuum devices and controls. CONCLUSION: We, therefore, conclude that endoluminal vacuum therapy is safe for prophylactic use in pigs undergoing low anterior resection and does not cause significant strictures. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: Anastomotic leak is a feared complication resulting in increased costs, length of stay, and emotional distress. Endoluminal negative pressure vacuum therapy is a new technology that has been used in experimental models in both animals and humans for prevention and treatment of anastomotic leak. In this series we demonstrate endoluminal vacuum therapy is safe in a porcine model and does not result in stricture or increased adhesion formation. We expect endoluminal vacuum therapy to become more widely used in the future in both prevention and treatment of anastomotic leaks.