Laparoscopy - Assisted colectomy is the safety and radical method for carcinoma of the sigmoid colon

We have performed laparoscopy-assisted colectomy for the sigmoid colon canc er (LAC-S) with radical lymphadenectomy and high transection of the inferio r mesenteric artery for 32 cases in a recent 5-year period. LAC-S was perfo rmed safely in all cases by using a right side approach technique. There wa s no case requiring conversion due to intraoperative complication. In compa rison with another 21 cases undergone open sigmoidectomy (OS) in the same p eriod, we found a :significantly less blood loss (p<0.0001), faster time to fluid intake (p=0.0006) and return to full activity (p<0.0001) in the LAC- S as compared with the OS group. There was no significant difference in the duration of surgery and the number of lymph node harvest between the group s. The postoperative complications were similar in both groups. In conclusi on, it was considered that not only LAC-S could be performed safely with ra dical lymphadenectomy as same as OS, but also LAC-S was much less invasive than OS.