Zanatta M, Donati M. Hemopatch® as a sealant in anastomotic and suture leak prevention in abdominal emergency surgery: A single-center case series. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(9): 120497 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.120497]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Michela Zanatta, MD, Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania 95125, Italy. michela.zanatta25@gmail.com
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Surgery
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Zanatta M, Donati M. Hemopatch® as a sealant in anastomotic and suture leak prevention in abdominal emergency surgery: A single-center case series. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(9): 120497 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.120497]
World J Gastrointest Surg. Sep 27, 2026; 18(9): 120497 Published online Sep 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.120497
Hemopatch® as a sealant in anastomotic and suture leak prevention in abdominal emergency surgery: A single-center case series
Michela Zanatta, Marcello Donati
Michela Zanatta, Marcello Donati, Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania 95125, Italy
Co-corresponding authors: Michela Zanatta and Marcello Donati.
Author contributions: Zanatta M took care of the methodology, acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data, and drafted the work; Donati M substantively revised the paper, conceptualized and designed the work; Zanatta M and Donati M contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-corresponding authors.
AI contribution statement: ChatGPT (Open AI) was used solely as a language-editing tool to improve grammar, clarity and style of the manuscript. The scientific content, study design, date analysis, interpretation of the results, and conclusions were conceived, performed, and verified entirely by the authors. The text revised with the assistance of ChatGPT was carefully edited and validated by the authors to ensure its accuracy, consistency, and compliance with the intended scientific meaning. The authors take full responsibility for the final content of the manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical committee approval was not required because Hemopatch® is an approved medical device used within standard surgical practice and no experimental intervention was performed.
Informed consent statement: Written informed consent for treatment and data use was obtained from all patients prior to surgery.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Data sharing statement: There is no additional data to share.
Corresponding author: Michela Zanatta, MD, Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 78, Catania 95125, Italy. michela.zanatta25@gmail.com
Received: March 1, 2026 Revised: March 18, 2026 Accepted: July 28, 2026 Published online: September 27, 2026 Processing time: 198 Days and 13.9 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Anastomotic and suture leakage remain major causes of morbidity and mortality in emergency abdominal surgery, particularly in patients with peritonitis, sepsis, or poor nutritional status. Hemopatch® is a collagen-based hemostatic pad with sealing properties that has been widely used in elective surgical settings, but evidence in emergency abdominal surgery is limited.
AIM
To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Hemopatch® as a reinforcement sealant for sutures and anastomoses in emergency abdominal surgery.
METHODS
We conducted a single-center retrospective case series including 36 consecutive patients who underwent emergency abdominal surgery between July 2021 and September 2022. Hemopatch® was used in 14 bowel anastomoses, 22 suture reinforcements (including appendiceal, gastric, pancreatic, splenic, gallbladder, and rectal stump closures), and one pancreaticojejunostomy.
RESULTS
Four of 36 patients (11.1%) developed postoperative complications related to leakage: one bowel anastomotic leak, two suture dehiscences, and one biliary fistula. Two deaths occurred in elderly patients with severe comorbidities and septic conditions. No device-related adverse events, allergic reactions, or surgical site infections attributable to Hemopatch® were observed.
CONCLUSION
Hemopatch® seems safe for reinforcing sutures and anastomoses in emergency abdominal surgery. Its effectiveness may be reduced in advanced chemical peritonitis or diffuse septic conditions. Larger controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Core Tip: Emergency abdominal surgery carries a high risk of anastomotic and suture failure, particularly in septic or malnourished patients. In this single-center case series of 36 emergency procedures, Hemopatch® was used as an adjunct sealant for anastomoses and sutures, with an overall leakage rate of 11.1% and no device-related complications. Although limited by the absence of a control group, these findings suggest that Hemopatch® may represent a useful reinforcement tool in selected high-risk emergency settings.
