Application of magnetic compression anastomosis technique in pediatric surgery

Malformation of digestive tract is common in neonates. Esophageal atresia (EA) comprises a group of congenital abnormalities defined by discontinuity of the esophagus. EA with communication with the trachea is known as tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). For the repair of EA, it is needed to establish an anastomosis between two structures that may be significantly spaced apart, such as in long-gap EA (with a gap >3 cm). The repair across a long-gap can induce tension on the anastomosis, leading to dehiscence, anastomotic leak, or procedure failure. In neonatal patients with long-gap EA with TEF, the complications of significant gastroesophageal reflux, or anastomotic leaks and severe refractory esophageal stricture after surgery are common, which remains challenging for pediatric surgery. There are multiple options for lengthening and approximating the ends in long-gap EA such as myotomies, Gough flap, or the Foker technique. The treatment of long gap EA usually requires thoracotomy or thoracoscopy to place traction sutures on each esophageal in multiple stage operations, the treatment period of which is long. Esophageal stricture is the most common complication following EA repair. Refractory esophageal anastomotic stricture after repair of EA in infants is a challenging surgical problem. In general, these strictures can be successfully managed using endoscopic techniques including bougie and balloon dilation, stenting, and chemotherapeutic agents. If these techniques are unsuccessful, treatment options are limited to surgical resection of the strictured segment and reanastomosis, or esophageal replacement. Magnetic compression anastomosis (MCA) has been introduced for several decades. Recently, rare-earth magnets have been employed to create solid anastomosis for long-gap EA and refractory esophageal stricture in children. In MCA, a sutureless anastomosis of the gastrointestinal tract can be formed using two magnetic Harrison rings. Magnetic compress has been shown to be effective for the treatment of long-gap EA in children. MCA can be conducted during the same stage surgery of ligating the TEF with customized magnetic rings. Under the magnetic force, the two magnetic rings pull along the gastric tube to achieve anastomosis. Once the postoperative permanent suction of these two pouches is instituted, spontaneous growth can be awaited. MCA has been shown to be effective in anastomosis of stomach, small bowel and colon in both experimental and clinical cases. The magnets are most commonly made of neodymium-boron or samarium-cobalt, which can display strengths significantly greater than those of ferrite. Magnetic compression has been used to treat biliary strictures in adult patients who have undergone liver transplantation, as magnetic connectors for coronary surgery, and for the functional undiversion of ileostomy in pediatric patients. Reports also describe the use of magnetic compression in restoring patency of anastomotic strictures of the alimentary tract in patients who have undergone surgery for esophageal, gastric, and rectal cancer. Yamanouchi and colleagues have published many papers on their experience with Samarium cobalt magnets. They even used them to treat recurrent anastomotic strictures after initial MCA. It has been reported that in conditions such as congenital oesophageal atresia or rectal atresia in children, and also is a safe, minimally invasive way to gradually refunctionalize the excluded distal bowel after previous diverting ostomy. MCA using mated magnets with their interposed compressed tissue may result in serosa-to-serosa apposition. At present, MCA for the treatment of EA patients is restricted to gross type A (without TEF) and anastomotic stenosis without thoracotomy. Magnamosis offers a minimally invasive technique for repair of this congenital anomaly. This is particularly helpful in those patients who cannot undergo initial or repeat thoracotomy or thoracoscopy due to anatomic considerations or overall severity of illness. Translumenal digestive tract anastomosis using the constant magnetic field is reliable and feasible as a minimally invasive technique to treat congenital esophageal and anorectal abnormalities. Magnamosis is technically feasible for esophago-esophageal anastomoses. In anorectal malformations with favorable anatomy, this procedure may avoid an operative repair such as posterior sagittal reconstruction. We propose that magnamosis can be considered as an alternative for the treatment of rectal atresia in certain children.