An inexpensive method of quality assessment in anastomosis workshops.

A method of comparing the quality of intestinal anastomoses performed in craft workshops is described. The equipment is readily available in any hospital, inexpensive and requires no technical construction. The apparatus accurately measures the intraluminal pressure at the first sign of anastomotic leak and a method of deriving the wall tension is explained. Calculation of wall tension at the point of failure allows comparison of anastomoses of different size. An instructor can therefore monitor the improvement of an individual trainee or rank a class according to the quality of their anastomoses.