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The impact of laparoscopic versus open approach on reoperation rate after segmental colectomy: a propensity analysis
Paul J Speicher1, Brian R Englum, Betty Jiang
1Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA, paul.speicher@duke.edu.
Background:
Reoperation rate has not been well studied as a primary outcome when comparing laparoscopic with open approaches for colorectal resection. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of a laparoscopic approach on rate of reoperation after elective segmental colectomy.
Methods:
The NSQIP PUF for 2005-2011 was used to retrospectively identify patients who underwent open or laparoscopic elective segmental colectomy. The primary outcome measure was 30-day reoperation rate. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to determine the independent effect of surgical approach on rates of unplanned reoperation. This was validated with inverse propensity score weighting.
Results:
A total of 39,063 patients met the study inclusion criteria. A total of 1,702 reoperations were identified. After open approach, 5.1 % required reoperation, compared to 3.8 % in the laparoscopic group. After adjusting for confounders, open resection had 1.17-fold higher odds than laparoscopy for risk of reoperation, but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.07).
Discussion:
Using a large clinical dataset, we found that for segmental colectomy, there was not a statistically significant difference in odds of return to the operating room for laparoscopic versus open surgical approach. Reoperation is a relatively rare but costly complication and remains a potential area for quality improvement.
