[Laparoscopic colorectal surgery--attempt at evaluating a new technology]

The aim of this study was to access the importance of the laparoscopic colorectal resection. Of 131 patients 80 were operated on laparoscopically. The conversion rate was 14% (13/93). A total of 47 patients suffered from cancer. Curative resection was performed in 41 patients (87%). For comparison, 48 patients who underwent open resection were used. The complication rate was lower after laparoscopy and no reoperation was performed. Patients recovered quicker and their first oral food intake and bowel movement were earlier. Hospital stay was shorter (15.3 vs. 8.1 days), and pain at rest and in motion was significantly reduced. Equal numbers of mesenteric lymph nodes were retrieved; adequate margins of resection could be obtained and the length of resected bowel did not differ. No port metastases were observed. Reduced morbidity, reduced hospital stay, reduced abdominal pain, quicker reconvalescence, and reduced overall health care costs are strong arguments in favor of laparoscopic colectomy.