Laparoscopic colorectal resection. A multicenter Italian study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate retrospectively the experience of six surgical units currently performing laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

From November 1991 to January 1994, 200 patients (103 male, 97 female; mean age 62.5 years) were candidates for, and received, laparoscopic colorectal resection for benign (54) or malignant (196) lesions. All the units excluded patients with locally advanced organ tumors and all cases with suspected perforation and ascites. One center submitted to laparoscopic resection only stage I and IV adenocarcinoma. All surgeons considered obesity a relative contraindication. The following data were analyzed: indications, conversion rate to open surgery, operative time, morbidity and mortality, resumption of gastrointestinal function, number of lymph nodes harvested, hospital stay.

Twenty-one out of 200 patients were converted to open surgery (10.5%); 37 patients had a complete laparoscopic procedure (17.1%); 137 had an assisted resection (68.5%); and the remaining 5 patients had a facilitated resection. The mean operative time was 208 min (90-480) for assisted resection and 275 min (54-550) for complete laparoscopic resection. The mortality rate was 1.7%; the overall morbidity was 19.6% (major complications 11.2%). All patients quickly became ambulatory and showed a prompt resumption of gastrointestinal functions, and less postoperative pain if compared with converted cases. The average number of lymph nodes was 12.1 (range 1-32). The mean hospital stay was 8.6 days (range 5-14.5). The mean follow-up was 16 months (range 6-24). The recurrence rate 11.7%.

Laparoscopy seems to offer the possibility of minimally invasive treatment, but long-term follow-up is needed to evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of colorectal cancer.