[Laparoscopic surgery in colorectal diseases]

The present state of laparoscopic surgery in colorectal diseases is presented, showing results that are superior to open surgery during the hospital stay, infection of the wound and quality of life in the first postoperative month. It is technically possible to carry out all of the techniques of colorectal resection with assisted laparoscopic surgery. The counter-indications depend above all on the state of the patient and his disease: emergency laparoscopy of the colon and rectum barely have a place in the therapeutic arsenal. However, elective surgery contributes a great number of cases, as well as colon cancer, whose laparoscopic approach is only contraindicated if the neighbouring organs are affected or if surgery by laparoscopy is not radical and oncological, due to the case itself or if the surgical team lacks the technique, given that the results for curing cancer are identical to open surgery, with level I scientific evidence. The results of cure and survival from laparoscopic surgery of cancer of the rectum are being studied. A description is given of the details of the surgical technique of right and left colectomies, laparoscopic resections of the rectum and of total colectomy.