Magnetic compression anastomosis (MCA) offers a simple and reliable technique for inducing anastomoses at any point along the digestive tract. Evidence regarding whether the design of the MCA device influences the anastomosis effect is lacking.

To investigate any difference in the side-to-side colonic anastomosis effect achieved with cylindrical vs circular ring magnets.

We designed cylindrical and circular ring magnets suitable for side-to-side colonic anastomosis in rats. Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a cylindrical group, circular ring group, and cylindrical–circular ring group (n = 10/group). Side-to-side colonic anastomosis was completed by transanal insertion of the magnets without incision of the colon. Operation time, perioperative complications, and magnet discharge time were recorded. Rats were euthanized 4 weeks post-operatively, and anastomotic specimens were obtained. The burst pressure and anastomotic diameter were measured sequentially, and anastomosis formation was observed by naked eye. Histological results were observed by light microscopy.

In all 30 rats, side-to-side colonic anastomosis was completed, for an operation success rate of 100%. No postoperative complications of bleeding and intestinal obstruction occurred, and the postoperative survival rate were 100%. The operation time, magnet discharge time, anastomotic bursting pressure, and anastomotic diameter did not differ significantly among the three designs (P > 0.05). Healing was similar across the groups, with gross specimens showing good anastomotic healing and good mucosal continuity observed on histological analysis.

This study found no significant difference in the establishment of rat side-to-side colonic anastomosis with the use of cylindrical vs circular ring magnets.

• Magnetosurgery
• Magnetic compression anastomosis
• Colonic anastomosis
• Magnet
• Rats

• Anastomotic stenosis
• Case report
• Colorectal cancer
• Magnetic compression technique
• Magnetic surgery clinic
• Magnetosurgery

• Humans
• Female
• Middle Aged
• Constriction, Pathologic/surgery
• Constriction, Pathologic/etiology
• Rectal Neoplasms/complications
• Rectal Neoplasms/surgery
• Rectum/diagnostic imaging
• Rectum/surgery
• Laparoscopy/adverse effects
• Anastomosis, Surgical/adverse effects
• Postoperative Complications/etiology
• Magnetic Phenomena
• Retrospective Studies

Magnetic compression anastomosis, also known as magnamosis, is a safe and feasible method for digestive tract anastomosis. However, the pathological process involved in magnamosis of the digestive tract has not been investigated. This study aimed to establish the stages of digestive tract magnamosis in a rat model. Eighty-four Sprague–Dawley albino rats (200–250 g) were randomly divided into 14 groups (n = 6 per group). All rats underwent colonic magnamosis. Starting from postoperative day (POD) 1, one group of rats was sacrificed every other day to obtain the specimens. Burst pressure at the anastomotic site of each specimen was examined. Gross and histological examination of the anastomotic site was performed to establish the stages of the digestive tract magnamosis. Colonic magnamosis was successfully performed in all rats and the mean anastomosis time was 5.62 ± 0.91 min. The postoperative survival rate was 100%. The lowest anastomotic burst pressure was 78.33 ± 3.44 mmHg on POD3. The anastomotic burst pressure gradually increased and stabilized on POD21. Macroscopic and histological examination showed that the anastomotic mucosal and serosal layer did not heal on POD1. The serosal layer of the anastomosis healed by adhesion on POD3, and the mucosal layer began to heal on POD3-11 and was established by POD21. According to the anastomotic bursting pressure, digestive tract magnamosis can be staged into the magnetic maintenance, fragile, strengthening, and stable phases, which on histology correspond to the serosal adhesion formation, serosal healing, mucosal healing, and stereotyping, respectively.