ABSTRACT
The earliest records of bowel anastomosis date back to ancient Egypt where the oldest suture was found in a mummy’s abdomen. Materials used in ancient Egypt included plant fibers, hair, tendon, or wool threads. Since then, significant advances have been made in the types of suture material, allowing surgeons several options for different situations. The addition of stapling devices has provided surgeons with yet another dimension to creating bowel anastomosis, but familiarity with suturing techniques is still required for students learning the art of surgery. The literature shows that there are no statistically significant differences between stapling and hand-sewn anastomoses, except that stapling has had more stricturing and is more expensive.
