title: Laparoscopy decreases postoperative complication rates after abdominal colectomy: results from the national surgical quality improvement program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Compare outcomes of non-emergent laparoscopic to open colon surgery.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopy has revolutionized much of gastrointestinal surgery. Colon and rectal surgery has seen drastic changes with many of the abdominal operations being performed laparoscopically. However, data comparing recovery and complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic and open colon surgery has shown only slight benefits for laparoscopy. Given the large benefits of laparoscopy in most gastrointestinal surgical procedures, this outcome is surprising. We, therefore, have set out to test the hypothesis that laparoscopic approaches decreases postoperative complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have undertaken a review of the database maintained by the American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. We have identified 8660 patients who met inclusion criteria for this study. Postoperative complication data were collected for patients undergoing laparoscopic or open colon surgery. Using a combination of univariate and multivariate analyses we evaluated for statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that laparoscopy decreased overall complications as well as individual complications. We found a decreased length of stay as well as a decreased risk for postoperative complications in the elderly. We found that laparoscopy decreased complication rate independent of the probability of morbidity statistic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When controlled for probability of morbidity, laparoscopy decreases the rate of postoperative complications. Given the equivalent outcomes of laparoscopic approaches, we conclude that laparoscopy should be offered to all patients who lack an absolute contraindication for laparoscopic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin SMPH, Madison, WI 53792, USA. kennedyg@surgery.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heise
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rajamanickam
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.forename: Eugene F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Foley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017749:Total Quality Management; D016896:Treatment Outcome