Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
Caudal-to-cranial Approach in Laparoscopic Right Hemicolectomy with Complete Mesocolon Excision and D3 Lymph Node Dissection
Published on: January 9, 2026
Intracorporeal versus extracorporeal anastomosis during laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - systematic review and
Roberto Cirocchi1, Stefano Trastulli, Eriberto Farinella
1Department of General and Oncologic Surgery, University of Perugia, Terni, Italy. cirocchiroberto@yahoo.it
Background:
Since 2005, after an initial scanty spreading, the vast majority of surgeons advice against the intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis following right hemicolectomies. In the subsequent years, greater interest was re-discovered for the intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis formed after video-assisted right hemicolectomies
Objective:
The aim of this systematic review is to compare the intra-abdominal versus extra-abdominal anastomosis after right laparoscopic colectomy.
Data Sources:
A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, BioMed Central and the Science Citation Index.
Study Selection:
A total of 191 publications were identified; seven non-randomized studies published between 2004 and 2012 with a total of 945 patients, who underwent laparoscopic right colectomy for malignant and benign disease, were included in this systematic review.
Intervention:
Intra-abdominal versus extra-abdominal confectioning of ileo-coloc anastomosis after right laparoscopic colectomy.
Main Outcome Measures:
Anastomotic leak, overall post-operative morbidity and overall 30-days post-operative mortality.
Results:
Anastomotic leak rate resulted similar in IA (1.13%) and EA (1.84%) group (P=0.81, OR of 0.90, 95% CI 0.24-3.10) (Chi(2)=3.90, P=0.42, I(2)=0%). The mortality rate was lower in the IA group (0.34% versus 1.32%), although no statistically difference was demonstrated between the two groups (P = 0.48, OR of 0.52 95% CI 0.09-3.10). It was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis of post-operative morbidity as the data reported in the included studies were too heterogeneous.
Limitations:
The weakness in our results was due to the lack of evidence in current published literature.
Conclusions:
The present systematic review of literature and meta-analysis failed to solve the controversies between intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomosis after laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. Future randomized, controlled trials are needed to further evaluate different surgical anastomosis after laparoscopic right hemicolectomy.
