Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal polyps.
BACKGROUND
Size, location, and type of colonic polyps may prevent colonoscopic polypectomy. Laparoscopic colectomy may serve as an optimal alternative in these patients. We assessed the perioperative outcome and the risk for cancer in patients operated on laparoscopically for colonic polyps not amenable to colonoscopic resection.


METHODS
An evaluation was conducted of our prospective accumulated data of a consecutive series of patients operated on for colonic polyps.


RESULTS
Sixty-four patients underwent laparoscopic resection for colonic polyps during a 6-year period. This group comprised 18% of all our laparoscopic colorectal procedures. Forty-six percent were males, mean age was 71. Most of the polyps (66%) were located on the right side. No deaths occurred. Conversion was necessary in 3 patients (4.6%). Significant complications occurred in 3 patients (4.6%). Nine patients (14%) were found to have malignancy. Three of them had lymph-node involvement. No difference existed in polyp size between malignant and nonmalignant lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopic colectomy for endoscopic nonresectable colonic polyps is a safe, simple procedure as reflected by the low rate of conversions and complications. However, invasive cancer may be found in the final pathology following surgery. This mandates a strict adherence to surgical oncological principles. Polyp size cannot predict the risk of malignancy.
Itah
Refael
R
Department of Surgery A, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Greenberg
Ron
R
Nir
Smadar
S
Karin
Eliad
E
Skornick
Yehuda
Y
Avital
Shmuel
S
D000368:Aged; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome