Laparoscopic colectomy for obstructive colorectal carcinoma

Laparoscopic surgery for obstructive colorectal carcinoma is a controversial issue. Defining the obstructive carcinoma as colonoscopic impassability, the patients with obstructive carcinoma were managed according to the treatment algorithm, by which the indication of open or laparoscopic surgery was determined. As a result, 31 patients with obstructive colorectal carcinoma underwent laparoscopic surgery. The location of the tumor was in the right side in 10 patients and in the left in 21 patients. Preoperatively, all cases were managed by restriction of oral intake and/or decompression. Laparoscopic surgery was completed in 26 cases and colonic obstruction was the direct cause of the conversion in only 1 case. Regarding postoperative complications, there were 3 surgical site infections and 3 instances of postoperative prolonged ileus but no mortality. Oncologically, the primary tumor was completely resected in each case and lymph node harvest (26.6) was adequate.