Laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision via reduced port surgery for treatment of colon cancer

Laparoscopic colectomy has become accepted for resection of colon cancer, and laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision (CME) has proved feasible and safe. We have evaluated the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of laparoscopic CME via reduced port surgery (RPS) in patients with colon cancer.

We prospectively assessed 17 consecutive patients with colon cancer undergoing laparoscopic CME via RPS between February 2012 and January 2014. Video recordings were used to assess the quality of the surgery, including CME completion. We also assessed operative data, complications, pathological findings, visual analog scale (VAS), cosmesis, and the hospital length of stay.

All patients underwent en bloc resection of mesocolon with CME completion. The median surgical duration and blood loss were 298 min and 41 ml, respectively. No intraoperative complications occurred in any patient. The median number of lymph nodes retrieved was 20, with lymph node metastasis identified in eight patients. The mean VAS scores for postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 were 3.2, 1.5, and 0, respectively. All patients were satisfied with their cosmesis. The median postoperative hospital stay was 11 days.

Laparoscopic CME via RPS for colon cancer is a safe and feasible surgical procedure with cosmetic advantages.