To explore the value of anastomotic stent in reducing postoperative colonic anastomotic leakage by a comparison of the effect of anastomotic stent and manual interrupted suture on anastomotic leakage morbidity after colon surgery in rats.

Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly divided into two groups, sixteen in each group (the experimental group: anastomosed by anastomotic stent; the control group: anastomosed by manual interrupted suture), then underwent end-to-end colonic anastomosis, comparing the differences in degree of abdominal adhesion, anastomotic leakage, and overall survival between two groups.

Compared with control group, the score of abdominal adhesion in the experimental group was lower (5.94±1.69 vs. 9.19±2.52, t=4.181; P=0.008), the morbidity of anastomotic leakage in the experimental group was lower (12.5% vs. 56.25%, χ²=6.788; P=0.023), the overall survival rate of the experimental group was higher (87.5% vs. 43.75%, χ²=5.850; P=0.016).

Anastomotic stent has potential clinical applicability in decreasing the morbidity of anastomotic leakage through reducing abdominal adhesion.