A surgical technique that uses mechanical devices to join tissues together with small metal clips or staples instead of traditional sutures. It is commonly used in gastrointestinal surgery, thoracic surgery, and for closing surgical incisions.
From Old English 'stapol' meaning post or pillar, referring to the U-shaped fasteners. Medical stapling developed in the mid-20th century as surgeons adapted industrial stapling concepts for tissue approximation and closure.
Surgical stapling revolutionized complex operations like bowel surgery by making tissue connections faster and more consistent than hand-sewn sutures. Modern stapling devices can cut and staple simultaneously, completing in seconds what might take minutes to suture by hand, reducing operative time and patient risk!
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