OBJECTIVES: The CONTOUR® Curved Cutter Stapler is designed to allow for increased visibility of anatomic structures. As a result, it is currently being used for colon rectal procedures where Low Anterior Resection (LAR) is necessary. To assess the impact this technology is having on hospital costs, length of stay, and surgery time, this research compares the contour stapler to traditional sutures and to other staplers for colon rectal procedures where Low Anterior Resection (LAR) is being performed.  METHODS: A retrospective analysis was completed using Premier’s de-identified hospital database and enrollment information for the fourth quarter of 2008. Multivariable analysis evaluated the effect of the contour stapler vs. traditional sutures and the contour stapler vs. other staplers on hospital costs, length of stay, and surgery time while controlling for patient severity. This abstract reports preliminary findings. RESULTS: There were a total of 3544 procedures meeting the inclusion criteria; 195 were identified, through patient billing files, as using the Contour stapler, 41 procedures were identified as traditional sutures only and the remaining 3,308 reported the use of another stapling device. When comparing the Contour patients to the suture only patients, and the other stapler patients, on average hospital costs were as follows: Contour ($23,742.52) traditional sutures ($24,547.66) and other staplers ($24,845.59).  Multivariable findings for Contour vs. traditional sutures were statistically significant for hospital costs with the interaction between contour vs. traditional sutures and patient severity being statistically significant. These findings suggest that the more severe patients will have higher hospital costs with traditional sutures than they will with Contour. Length of stay and surgery time were not statistically significant for either comparison. CONCLUSIONS: Contour appears to be cost saving when compared to traditional sutures, especially when the case is severe and cost neutral when compared to other staplers.