Table S4. Macroscopic evaluation of experimental and control animals at necropsy. Macroscopic observations at necropsy and their correlating microscopic interpretation.

Time point	Group	Treatment	Animal number	Anastomosis complications score	Bowel lnjury score	Largest diameter dilator passing through anastomosis (mm)	Tissue/ organ	Macroscopic observatio	Microscopic observation	Macro- micro correlation"
	Group 1		52851	0	3	33	Rectal anastomosis	Minor to minimal adhesion around anastomosis site, required some cutting.	Presence of mucosal glands on the serosal surface with inflammation due to anastomosis procedure.	Yes
							Small intestine	Adhesion, jejunum to abdomen wall at surgery incision site, broke away easily with finger dissection.	NA
							Thymus	Enlarged, ~ 4 x 6 cm by ~ 18 mm thick.	Slightly increased cortical cellularity with maintained architecture.	Yes
							Skin	Subcutaneous, accumulation, purulent liquid, grayish/greenish/ yellow. Did not have a pungent smell. ~ 5 x 8 cm by ~ 32 mm in height.	NA
			52981	0	0	29	No Abnormal Findings.
			52982	0	0	29	Surgery incision site	Abdominal hernia ~ 6 x 7 cm, small amount of jejunum adhered to distal/caudal end of hernia.	NA
			53184	0	NA	33	Abdomen incision	Adhesion, fibrous, jejunum to umbilicus/abdomen incision, firm.	NA
							Rectum/ rectal anastomosis	A fibrinous formation/accumulation on the lateral surfaces of the colon/rectum exceeding ~ 10-12 cm cranial to the anastomosis and ~ 3-3.5 cm caudal to site. Did not appear to inhibit intestinal function.	A fibrous tissue band is present on the adventitial surface and within the adipose tissue immediately adjacent to the adventitia.	Yes
	Group 2		52852	1	3	33	Rectal anastomosis	Mild adhesion uterus and ureters (bilateral), required cutting, right ovary adhered to colon ~ 10 cm from anastomosis site. Firm, nodule, purulent liquid, grayish/greenish/yellow, did not have a pungent smell, diameter ~ 20 mm.	Moderate to to marked muscularis externa to adventitial segmental infiltration of neutrophils, macrophages lymphocytes and giant cells with rare small foreign material particles. Reactive fibroblasts and neovascularization also noted at the periphery of inflamed area.	Yes
							Skin	Surgical incision site, hernia ~ 45 mm opening, partially healed/closed. Able to see anastomosis clips/staples on the mucosal surface of intestine.	NA
			52949	1	3	22	Kidneys	Bilateral renal enlargement: Moderate left (13.0 x 6.0 x 5.0 cm); Marked right (15.0 x 6.0 x 6.0 cm). Bilateral pelvic/ cystic dilatation with cortical atrophy (right greater than left).	Moderate to marked bilateral cystic pelvis with bilateral atrophy of adjacent renal parenchyma. Mild interstitial fibrosis with mild inflammation (mainly mononuclear) with minimal intrapelvic hemorrhage are also present in the left kidney.	Yes
							Ureters	Marked dilatation of proximal ureters (1.0 cm diameter right; 1.2 cm diameter left). Distal ureters (at trigone) within normal limits/0.4 cm diameter.	No abnormal histological findings.	No
							Small intestin	Adhesion, small intestine (jejunum) to incision, firmly adhered, small omental adhesion to umbilicus to liver, loosely adhered.	NA