The effect of surgical drainage materials on colonic healing

✍ Scribed by S. R. G. Smith; J. C. Connolly; P. W. Crane; O. J. A. Gilmore

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 358 KB
• Volume: 69
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-1323
• DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800690313

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The effect of surgical drainage materials on rat colonic healing has been investigated in a prospective randomized and controlled study. Latex, silicone rubber (Silastic), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) tubes were implanted alongside a colonic anastomosis and compared with a ‘no drain’ group using mechanical and histological assessments. There was a significant increase in anastomotic leakage in the latex group in which there appears to be a local inhibition of healing. Silastic, PVC and Teflon were not found to interfere with healing. The continued use of latex drains in colonic surgery is therefore questioned.