Endoscopic treatment for gastric perforation using T-tag and a plastic protection chamber: a short-term survival study.

CONTEXT The endoscopic gastric perforation is a consequence of some endoscopic procedures and now a way to manage abdominal organs. This is the reason why endoscopists are studying a safe endoscopic repair. OBJECTIVE To evaluate an endoscopic closure method for the gastric opening in natural orifice transenteric surgery DESIGN Short-term survival animal study. METHODS Ten White Landrace pigs underwent a gastric perforation of 1.8 cm in diameter under general anesthesia. The opening was repaired with stitch assembled in a T-tag anchor placed through the gastric wall with a needle. A plastic transparent chamber, adapted to the endoscope tip protected the abdominal organs from the needle puncture outside the stomach. Six T-tags were placed in most cases and the stitches were tied with a metallic tie-knot, forming three sutures. The animals received liquids in the same operative day. One shoot antibiotic was used. The leakage test was performed with a forceps and by air distention. RESULTS No complication was detected in the postoperative course. One month later the endoscopy revealed a scar and some suture material was observed in all animals. The antral anterior gastric wall was clear with few adhesions in the laparotomy performed in the same time. The adhesions were intense in an animal in which a cholecystectomy was performed before the repair. CONCLUSION The endoscopic repair using T-tag and a protector chamber is feasible, easy to perform and safe. Further studies are needed to show the real value of this kind of procedure.