The biofragmentable anastomosis ring in elective colon resections.

Methods. Sixty-eight patients underwent elective colon resection and ìntraperitoneal anastomosis wìth thè biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR). Results. Anastomotic dehiscence occurred in 3 patients (4.4%). Two of them had an end-to-end ileocolostomy using a 31 mm BAR. The anastomosis failure was due to ischaemic lesion of thè small bowel dose to thè ileocolostomy, probably caused by a mismatch between thè size of small bowel and that of thè BAR. Another patient experienced anastomosis dehiscence probably due to a faecal impaction into thè BAR. Forty-eight patients (70.5%) experienced troublesome constipation and evacuated after thè sixth postoperative day. A bowel obstruction proximal to thè BAR was documented in 4 cases who have been treated conservatively. Condmions. The low rate of major complications justify thè use of thè BAR in elective colon surgery, but thè surgeon must be aware of tedious postoperative obstructive episodes frequently encountered in this series.