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Updated: Dec 21, 2025

Clinical Application of Single-Surgeon, Three-Port, Laparoscopic Resection for Colorectal Cancer with Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction
Published on: March 24, 2023
Extracorporeal versus intracorporeal anastomosis in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for cancer
Gabriele Anania1, Nicola Tamburini1, Marcello Sanzi1
1Department of Morphology, Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Section of Chirurgia 1, Sant'Anna Hospital, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Introduction:
This study aimed at assessing the long-term oncological outcomes of intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis (ICA) for laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colon cancer compared with extracorporeal anastomosis (ECA).
Material And Methods:
We performed a retrospective analysis of 149 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colon cancer between January 2006 and December 2012.
Results:
Eighty and 69 patients underwent intracorporeal and ECA, respectively. The two groups were demographically comparable. ICA exhibited a significantly shorter operative time (p < .0001), while local relapse and length of hospital stay did not significantly differ among the groups (p = .724 and .310, respectively). There was no significant difference in median number of retrieved lymph node. The overall survival and the disease-free survival at five years did not significantly differ among the groups.
Conclusions:
Intracorporeal ICA can reduce operative time and is associated with similar postoperative and long-term oncological outcomes compared to the ECA technique.

