title: [Colorectal laparoscopic surgery. Single center experience with 599 cancer patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the results of laparoscopic colectomy for cancer of colon and rectum on early outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty hundred and ninety-nine consecutive unselected patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy for cancer of the colon or rectum between January 1998 and December 2004 in a single Institution were prospectively evaluated. Tumor classification was by TNM stage. Patients were monitored for postoperative complications for 30 days after surgery. Follow-up was done by direct patient contact.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (SD) age was 65.8 (11.7) years. Mean (SD) ASA score was 2.0 (0.5). The following operations were performed: 248 left colectomies, 131 right colectomies, 26 sigmoid resections, 164 rectal resections, 21 abdominoperineal resections (Miles operation) and 9 total colectomies. Conversion rate was 7.2% (43/599 pts). The overall morbidity rate was 23.3% (143/599 pts). The mortality rate was 0.3% (2/599 pts). Anastomotic leak occurred in 45/599 (7.3%) patients. Re-operation rate was 4.6% (26/599 pts). Mean (SD) length of stay was 9.9 (5.8) days. The mean number (SD) of lymphnodes intraoperatively collected was 16.7 (9.8). Median (range) time of follow-up period was 20.2 months (6-68). One port-site metastasis was found at 18 months after surgery. Overall 5-years survival was 81%. Local recurrence rate in patients who underwent TME of the rectum was 4.4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic colectomies is safe and effective in the treatment of colon and rectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia, IRCCS San Raffaele, Università Vita-Salute, Milano.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Palo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vignali
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamburini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parolini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orsenigo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Staudacher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male