Short-term outcomes of laparoscopic total mesorectal excision compared to open surgery

To investigate the short-term outcome of laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) in patients with mid and low rectal cancers.

A consecutive series of 138 patients with middle and low rectal cancer were randomly assigned to either the laparoscopic TME (LTME) group or the open TME (OTME) group between September 2008 and July 2011 at the Department of Colorectal Cancer of Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University and pathological data, as well as surgical technique were reviewed retrospectively. Short-term clinical and oncological outcome were compared in these two groups. Patients were followed in the outpatient clinic 2 wk after the surgery and then every 3 mo in the first year if no adjuvant chemoradiation was indicated. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0 software.

Sixty-seven patients were treated with LTME and 71 patients were treated with OTME (sex ratio 1.3:1 vs 1.29:1, age 58.4 ± 13.6 years vs 59.6 ± 9.4 years, respectively). The resection was considered curative in all cases. The sphincter-preserving rate was 65.7% (44/67) vs 60.6% (43/71), P = 0.046; mean blood loss was 86.9 ± 37.6 mL vs 119.1 ± 32.7 mL, P = 0.018; postoperative analgesia was 2.1 ± 0.6 d vs 3.9 ± 1.8 d, P = 0.008; duration of urinary drainage was 4.7 ± 1.8 d vs 6.9 ± 3.4 d, P = 0.016, respectively. The conversion rate was 2.99%. The complication rate, circumferential margin involvement, distal margins and lymph node yield were similar for both procedures. No port site recurrence, anastomotic recurrence or mortality was observed during a median follow-up period of 21 mo (range: 9-56 mo).

Laparoscopic TME is safe and feasible, with an oncological adequacy comparable to the open approach. Further studies with more patients and longer follow-up are needed to confirm the present results.