Multivariate evaluation of the technical difficulties in performing laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Although the laparoscopic approach is accepted for the treatment of colon cancer, its value for low rectal cancer is unknown. We sought to evaluate the technical feasibility of laparoscopic low anterior resection (Lap-AR) by determining short-term clinical outcomes and identifying the corresponding predictive factors.


METHODS
A retrospective single-institution study was carried out on 82 patients in whom Lap-AR had been attempted for rectal cancer during the period spanning April 2001 to December 2009. Patient characteristics, operative outcomes, and postoperative morbidities and mortalities were analyzed.


RESULTS
The median operative time and the intraoperative blood loss were 300 minutes and 72.5 g, respectively. Overall morbidity and mortality rates were 11.0% and 0%, respectively. Complications included wound infection (6.1%, n=5), anastomotic leakage (1.2%, n=1), ileus (1.2%, n=1), and pneumonia (2.4%, n=2). A multivariate analysis indicated that the important risk factor associated with an operative time of >300 minutes was the T factor, and the risk factor associated with intraoperative blood loss was a body mass index (BMI) of >25 kg/m(2).


CONCLUSIONS
Lap-AR is a technically feasible, safe, and effective method for treating patients with rectal cancer. A BMI>25 kg/m(2) and the T factor related to operative blood loss and operative time, respectively. Assessment of high BMI and, in particular, advanced tumor depth, should alert surgeons to the increased technical difficulty of Lap-AR.
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Hasama-machi, Oita, Japan. tomakagi@oita-u.ac.jp
Tomonori
T
Akagi
Masafumi
M
Inomata
Tsuyoshi
T
Etoh
Hatsuo
H
Moriyama
Kazuhiro
K
Yasuda
Norio
N
Shiraishi
Nobuoki
N
Eshima
Seigo
S
Kitano
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007081:Ileostomy / Q000379:methods; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome