Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy

Over the past 20 years, laparoscopic colectomy has become a well-established technique in the surgical armamentarium of colorectal operations, with proven reductions in postoperative pain, time to return of bowel function, and length of hospital stay. After early concerns over its oncologic effects, large prospective, multicenter trials have proven its safety in colorectal adenocarcinoma, with equivalence in nodal harvest, recurrence rates, disease-free survival, and overall survival. Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy in particular is a relatively accessible technique which may be performed by a single surgeon and an assistant/camera operator; this operation serves as an excellent method to develop laparoscopic skills for more complicated colorectal procedures. In this article, we describe the technical aspects of our approach to laparoscopic right hemicolectomy, which utilizes a medial-to-lateral, no-touch technique and either an intracorporeal or extracorporeal anastomosis.