The comparative effectiveness of manual and auto-sutured anastomoses after total gastrectomy (107 cases), low anterior rectal resection (100 cases) and right hemicolectomy (34 cases) is studied. In the stapled series the incidence of anastomotic leakage was somewhat less, although benign stenosis occurred more frequently than with hand-sutured anastomoses. However, this could not be statistically demonstrated. In the authors' view, the main advantages of the use of staplers are the shortening of operating time and the lessening of septic steps.