The Economic Value Proposition of Hand-Sewn Suture Versus Stapled Anastomoses During Right Colon Surgery

Ileocolic anastomoses are performed for right-sided colon cancer and Crohn’s disease. Anastomotic leak complications are a significant source of patient morbidity and mortality and may have a major impact on health care costs. Prior studies (e.g. Choy PYG, 2011 Cochrane Review) have estimated a significant reduction in post-operative leak rate following stapled anastomosis creation versus sutured (2.49% vs. 6.14%). The objective of this analysis...