title: The short-term outcomes of conventional and single-port laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to show the safety and feasibility of single-port laparoscopic surgery (SPLS) by comparing its short-term outcomes with those following conventional laparoscopic surgery.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Single-port laparoscopic surgery maximizes the advantages of laparoscopic surgery, and therefore it can be an ultimate attainment of laparoscopic surgery. However, no comparative study has addressed its role in colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospectively collected data of patients who had undergone either conventional laparoscopic surgery (n = 106) or SPLS (n = 73) for colorectal cancer between March 2006 and May 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. The short-term outcomes of these 2 operative modalities were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 179 study subjects, 103 (57.5%) had colon cancer and 76 (42.5%) had rectal cancer. Various operative methods, from right hemicolectomy to abdominoperineal resection, were used according to location through either conventional laparoscopic or SPLS approach. In its comparison, mean surgical time was greater in the SPLS group (255 vs 276 minutes, P < 0.008). Acquired length of sufficient surgical margins and the number of harvested lymph nodes were comparable. Postoperative recovery was faster in the SPLS group, in terms of shorter time duration before first flatus (SPLS vs conventional laparoscopic surgery; 2.5 ± 1.2 vs 3.2 ± 1.8 days, P = 0.004), earlier initiation of free oral fluids (1.8 ± 2.2 vs 2.6 ± 1.7 days, P = 0.000) and of a solid diet (4.2 ± 2.9 vs 6.5 ± 2.7 days, P = 0.000), less frequent usage of parenteral narcotics (2.2 ± 3.2 vs 3.5 ± 4.0 times, P = 0.029), and shorter hospital stay (9.6 ± 9.6 vs 15.5 ± 9.8 days, P = 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that SPLS is both safe and feasible in colorectal cancer, and that it has equivalent or better short-term outcomes than conventional laparoscopic surgery. Accordingly, the authors conclude that SPLS can be an alternative to conventional laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.
authors: Department of Surgery, Daejeon St Mary's Hospital, the Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors: Say-June
authors: SJ
authors: Kim
authors: Gil-O
authors: GO
authors: Ryu
authors: Byung-Jo
authors: BJ
authors: Choi
authors: Jeong-Goo
authors: JG
authors: Kim
authors: Kwan-Ju
authors: KJ
authors: Lee
authors: Sang Chul
authors: SC
authors: Lee
authors: Seong-Taek
authors: ST
authors: Oh
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*