Endoscopic full-thickness closure of large gastric perforations by use of tissue anchors.

Background: A flexible needle-catheter tissue-anchoring device was developed to accomplish full-thickness tissue apposition of the GI wall. The aim of this study was to identify the performance of this device for repair of large iatrogenic gastric perforations in a porcine model.

Objectives: Six pigs.

Design: Short-term survival animal study.

Settings: Pigs were studied while they were under general anesthesia. Device performance in differing gastric locations and wall thicknesses was assessed by 2 perforations more than 2 cm in size created for each pig along the greater curvature and the anterior wall.

Interventions: Each perforation was closed by parallel placement of tissue anchor sets sequentially along the length of the perforation.

Main Outcome Measurements: One week follow-up endoscopy and necropsy were performed.

Results: Twelve perforations were closed with the 48 tissue anchor sets. All animals survived for 1 week without clinical complications. Follow-up endoscopy and necropsy revealed that all tissue anchors remained with firmly held sutures and sealed perforations.

Conclusions: Full-thickness closure with a new tissue-anchoring device simply and successfully repaired large iatrogenic gastric perforations.