title: Population-based trend analysis of 2813 patients undergoing laparoscopic sigmoid resection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of laparoscopic sigmoid resection for diverticular disease has become increasingly popular. The objective of this trend analysis was to assess whether clinical outcomes following laparoscopic sigmoid resection for diverticular disease have improved over the past 10 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis was based on the prospective database of the Swiss Association of Laparoscopic and Thoracoscopic Surgery. Some 2813 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic sigmoid resection for diverticular disease from 1995 to 2006 were included. Unadjusted and risk-adjusted analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over time, there was a significant reduction in the conversion rate (from 27.3 to 8.6 per cent; P(trend) < 0.001), local postoperative complication rate (23.6 to 6.2 per cent; P(trend) = 0.004), general postoperative complication rate (14.6 to 4.9 per cent; P(trend) = 0.024) and reoperation rate (5.5 to 0.6 per cent; P(trend) = 0.015). Postoperative median length of hospital stay significantly decreased from 11 to 7 days (P(trend) < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first trend analysis in the literature of clinical outcomes after laparoscopic sigmoid resection, based on almost 3000 patients, has provided compelling evidence that rates of postoperative complications, conversion and reoperation, and length of hospital stay have decreased significantly over the past 10 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. ulrich.guller@gmail.com
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Guller
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosella
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Karanicolas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adamina
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hahnloser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012810:Sigmoid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult