Laparoscopic-assisted reversal of Hartmann's procedure: a simplified technique and audit of twelve cases

Laparoscopic-assisted reversal of Hartmann's procedure was performed in 12 patients over a 2-year period. The group comprised three patients with colonic carcinoma and nine with diverticular disease, their mean age being 62 years (range 40-73). In all twelve cases, intestinal continuity was successfully restored, without conversion to open surgery, in a median anesthetic time of 165 min (range 110-240). One patient required a temporary defunctioning colostomy and two other patients had three complications. The median postoperative hospital stay was 8 days (range 5-12). We report a retrospective audit of this consecutive series of 12 patients, showing that laparoscopic-assisted reversal of Hartmann's is technically feasible. We also give details of the morbidity associated with the technique.