title: Early outcome after minilaparotomy for the treatment of rectal cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan. nakagoe@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagoe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sawai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jibiki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nanashima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasutake
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ayabe
mesh_terms: 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