Anastomosis is the connection of two things that are normally diverging. In medicine, an anastomosis typically refers to a connection between blood vessels or between two loops of the intestine.
An anastomosis can occur naturally in the body, or it can be created surgically.
Naturally occurring anastomosis refers to how structures are connected biologically in the body. For example, many veins and arteries are connected to each other. This helps us efficiently transport blood and nutrients throughout the body.
A surgical anastomosis is an artificial connection made by a surgeon. It may be done when an artery, vein, or part of the intestine is blocked off. It can also be done for a tumor in part of the intestine. A surgeon will remove the portion that’s blocked in a procedure called resection. The two remaining parts will then be anastomosed, or joined together, and sewn or stapled.
In the case of blood vessels, the blocked part is often not removed. Instead it’s bypassed by a natural or artificial conduit. An example of a natural conduit would be using the saphenous vein to bypass blocked arteries in the heart. An example of an artificial conduit would be using a Dacron tube to bypass arteries in the leg. In these cases, anastomosis refers to where the two structures are sutured together.
