Early outcome after minilaparotomy for the treatment of rectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To compare early outcomes of the minilaparotomy approach to the resection of rectal cancer with those of conventional laparotomy.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
University hospital, Japan.


METHODS
18 patients who had complete resection through a minilaparotomy and 20 who had a conventional laparotomy served as the study and the control groups, respectively. Patients who were overweight or morbidly obese (body mass index >25) were excluded from the study.


METHODS
Complete resection through a skin incision less than 7 cm in length, or a conventional incision.


METHODS
Early postoperative outcomes.


RESULTS
Postoperative time intervals to standing, walking, passing flatus, and removal of the urinary catheter, and analgesic requirements were significantly less in the minilaparotomy group (p = 0.007, p = 0.004, p = 0.02, p = 0.002, and p = 0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The minilaparotomy for complete resection of rectal cancer is less invasive than conventional laparotomy, and provides an attractive alternative in highly selected patients who are not overweight.
Nakagoe
T
T
First Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan. nakagoe@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Sawai
T
T
Tsuji
T
T
Jibiki
M
M
Nanashima
A
A
Yamaguchi
H
H
Yasutake
T
T
Ayabe
H
H
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome