title: [Implantation of laparoscopic colon surgery in a general surgery department].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the viability, safety and short-term results of laparoscopic colon surgery during the first few years after its introduction in our department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2002 and December 2005, laparoscopic surgery was performed in patients with surgical indication for benign colon disease. After 2003, patients with malignant disease were also included. A database was created and demographic data, surgical indication, technique, conversion rate, morbidity and postoperative length of stay were recorded. All patients were operated on by the same team of three surgeons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety consecutive patients, with a mean age of 59.2 years (20-88) underwent laparoscopic surgery. Of these, 53 were men (59%). In total, 32 patients had previously undergone one or more open laparotomies (35.5%). Surgery was indicated for benign disease in 60 patients (66%). Distribution was left colon in 79 patients and right colon in 11 patients. The most frequent technique was sigmoidectomy (67.7%). The conversion rate was 12.2%. Operating time was 199 min. (120-340) and length of postoperative stay was 7.5 days (4-57). Morbidity was 18.8% and mortality was 1.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic surgery of the colon is safe and reproducible. Our short-term results are similar to those of previous studies. We believe that prior experience of laparoscopic surgery is important and that a stable surgical team minimizes the effect of the learning curve.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía, Hospital de Galdakao, Vizcaya, España. etobalin@hgda.osakidetza.net
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tobalina Aguirrezábal
authors.forename: Inés
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Múgica Alcorta
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Portugal Porras
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarabia García
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*