Endoscopy 2013; 45(08): 649-654
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1344156
Original article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

New flexible endoscopic full-thickness suturing device: a triple-arm-bar suturing system

H. Mori
1   Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
H. Kobara
1   Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
K. Rafiq
2   Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
N. Nishiyama
1   Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
S. Fujihara
1   Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
M. Kobayashi
1   Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
M. Oryu
1   Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
M. Fujiwara
3   Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
Y. Suzuki
3   Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
,
T. Masaki
1   Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

submitted 05 November 2012

accepted after revision 26 March 2013

Publication Date:
23 July 2013 (online)

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Background and study aim: A reliable full-thickness suturing device is necessary for pure natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). The present study focused on assessing the reliability of a new suturing device.

Methods: A total of 60 single sutures were tested to close 5-cm incisions in 8-cm square pieces of resected swine stomach. Each incision was sutured by an over-the-scope clip (OTSC; n = 20), a single hand-sewn stitch (n = 20), or a single triple-arm-bar suturing system (TBSS) stitch. The maximum pulling force durability (MPD) of each suture was tested. To assess the reliability of the TBSS for endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR), 60 EFTRs of 50 mm diameter were performed on excised swine stomachs. After EFTR, full-thickness sutures were made using 3-stitch OTSCs (n = 20), 10-stitch hand-sewn sutures (n = 20), or 10-stitch TBSS sutures (n = 20). Outcomes were the MPD test for both single stitch and multiple stitch applications and the suturing time for single-stitch sutures.

Results: In the single-stitch MPD tests, there were significant differences between OTSCs and hand-sewn sutures (P = 0.0002) and between OTSCs and TBSS sutures (P = 0.0001), but no significant difference between hand-sewn and TBSS sutures. The multiple-stitch sutures revealed significant differences between OTSCs and hand-sewn sutures (P = 0.0039), and between OTSCs and TBSS sutures (P = 0.013). There was no significant difference between hand-sewn and TBSS sutures. There were significant differences in suture times between OTSC, hand-sewn sutures, and TBSS sutures (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Both single-stitch and multiple-stitch sutures using TBSS have similar strength to hand-sewn sutures. TBSS is a reliable suturing device.