title: Elective laparoscopic-assisted sigmoid resection for diverticular disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the laparoscopic-assisted approach to colorectal cancer remains controversial, its use for benign diseases can have important advantages. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of this approach for the treatment of elective diverticular disease and to identify preoperative and perioperative factors which can help to select the best procedure for each patient: either assisted laparoscopic resection (ALR) or dissection-facilitated laparoscopic resection (DLR).
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 1991 to the present, we conducted a prospective study of 41 patients approached electively for diverticular disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine patients underwent an ALR, seven were approached by DLR, and another five patients were converted to laparotomy (15%). Morbidity was 17.5% and there was no mortality in this series. The mean hospital stay after operation was 6.5 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of the complexity of this inflammatory process, choice of either an assisted or a more invasive laparoscopic facilitated approach is necessary. The decision is based on the technical difficulty as determined by data collected both preoperatively and during laparoscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Academic Hospital, De Boelelaan 1117, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Q A
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Eijsbouts
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Brauw
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sietses
mesh_terms: D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000601:surgery*; D004210:Dissection; D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012810:Sigmoid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome