[Principles and technique of lymph node dissection in colorectal carcinoma]

Colorectal carcinoma is a common malignant tumor which shows a standard behavior for lymphogenic metastasis. Depending on the localization of the primary tumor the corresponding lymphatic area also has to be removed because lymph node metastases can already be present by every tumor even if there is no obvious intraoperative evidence. Lymphatic drainage is essentially oriented to the supplying arteries of the corresponding intestinal segment. The anatomy of arterial supply is individually variable and often deviates from the usual textbook presentation. In this review the oncological requirements of an adequate lymph node dissection in colorectal carcinoma are described with emphasis on the technical aspects to obtain an optimal specimen.