Laparoscopic total colectomy for colorectal cancers: a comparative study

Abstract

No previous report could be found in the literature comparing laparoscopic and open total colectomy for colorectal cancers, especially synchronous colorectal cancers. This study aimed to compare the short-term clinical outcomes and oncologic results of laparoscopic and open total colectomy or proctocolectomy for colorectal cancers. Between July 1997 and January 2005, six patients with colorectal cancers underwent elective laparoscopic total colectomy or proctocolectomy at the authors’ institution. Clinical data for 12 patients who underwent elective open total colectomy or proctocolectomy for colorectal cancers during the same period were prospectively collected and compared. The median follow-up periods were 43.9 months for the laparoscopic group and 48.2 months for the open group. Conversion to open procedure was required for one patient (16.7%) in the laparoscopic group because of bleeding. The median operative time was significantly longer in the laparoscopic group (427.5 min; range, 280–480 min vs 172.5 min; range, 90–260 min; p = 0.001). The patients in the laparoscopic group required a significantly shorter duration of parenteral analgesia (3 vs 5 days; p = 0.01), but there were no differences in time to first bowel motion, time to resumption of diet, time to full ambulation, and duration of hospital stay between the two groups. Perioperative morbidity rates were comparable between the two groups, and there was no operative mortality. The oncologic results, including number of lymph nodes removed, recurrence rates, and survival rates, were similar in the two groups. Laparoscopic total colectomy has short-term clinical outcomes (postoperative recovery and perioperative morbidity and mortality rates) and oncologic results similar to those of open surgery for treating patients with colorectal cancers. Our study has shown that the only advantage of laparoscopic over open surgery is a shorter duration of analgesic requirement, but at the expense of a longer operative time.