Baseline characteristics
| Variables | Total with primary anastomosis (n=477) |
| Male, n (%) | 290 (61) |
| Preterm birth, n (%) | 221 (53) (missing=61) |
| Surgery for congenital disease, n (%) | 376 (79) |
| Median age (days), median (range) | 49 (0–1095) |
| Median weight (g), median (range) | 3230 (600–16 000) (missing=238) |
| Urgent procedure, n (%) | 255 (54) |
| ASA score ≥III, n (%) | 92 (29) (missing=165) |
| Laparotomy, n (%) | 443 (93 (missing=1) |
| Mean duration of surgery in hours, mean (SD) | 2.2 (1.0) (missing=80) |
| Location of anastomosis, n (%) | |
| Small intestine–small intestine | 262 (56) (missing=9) |
| Ileocolic | 73 (16) |
| Colon–colon | 133 (28) |
| Type of anastomosis, n (%) | |
| End-to-end | 302 (64) (missing=10) |
| End-to-side | 32 (7) |
| Side-to-side | 96 (21) |
| Heineke-Mikulicz stricturoplasty, n (%) | 36 (8) |
| Stapled, n (%) | 61 (13) |
| Technique of handsewn sutures, n (%) | |
| Continues | 116 (43) (missing=207) |
| Interrupted | 154 (57) |
| Suture resorption time, n (%) | |
| Normal | 176 (50) (missing=126) |
| Slow | 175 (50) |
ASA, American Society of Anaesthesiology; IQR, interquartile range; SD, standard deviation.