Laparoscopic colorectal resection for cancer: the Cleveland Clinic Florida experience

Since the first successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 1987, surgeons have begun to focus their attention on more diverse procedures. The last few years have brought a tremendous amount of enthusiasm toward laparoscopic surgery, which has finally reached the colorectal surgical communities. Currently, laparoscopic bowel surgery is undergoing critical appraisal. Through meaningful prospective data retrieval, answers are being obtained to questions dealing with the efficacy and utility of this technique for colorectal diseases. Specifically, although laparoscopic colorectal surgery is feasible, one cannot definitively attest to its superiority or even equivalence to standard open laparotomy. Furthermore, it will take 5 years before we begin to collect data regarding survival rates and local recurrence for the patient with colorectal carcinoma. This article discusses the technique utilized, and our own experience with laparoscopic colorectal surgery for malignancy.