Laparoscopic-assisted resection of right-sided colonic carcinoma: A case-control study

Background and Objectives: Laparoscopic-assisted resection of colorectal ca rcinoma is technically feasible. Whether it is beneficial to patients is un certain. This study reviewed the results of laparoscopic-assisted resection in patients with right-sided colonic adenocarcinoma. Methods: We attempted laparoscopic-assisted right to extended right hemicol ectomy in 28 patients with right-sided colonic carcinoma (study group). The results were compared with 56 matched patients who underwent conventional open resection in the same period (comparative group). Results: The median follow-up times for the study and comparative groups we re 21.4 and 23.5 months, respectively. The operating time was significantly longer (t-test, P < 0.001), whereas the time to resuming normal diet (Mann -Whitney U-test, P < 0.001) and the duration of hospital stay (Mann-Whitney U-test, P = 0.002) were significantly less in the study than in the compar ative group. The oncological clearance, in terms of the number of lymph nod es removed and the resection margins, the complication rate, the disease-fr ee rate, and the survival rate were comparable in the two groups. Conclusions: We conclude that laparoscopic-assisted resection of right-side d colonic adenocarcinoma has the advantage over open surgery of allowing ea rlier recovery. However, this is at the expense of a longer Operating time. J. Surg. Oncol. 1999;71:97-100. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.