title: Laparoscopic TME for rectal cancer: a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Laparoscopic colonic resection for cancer is becoming well established within the surgical community. However, the current evidence for laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) is scanty but does point toward a potential for improved short-term outcomes and oncological equivalency to open resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing laparoscopic TME for rectal cancer in 1 hospital between October 2003 and December 2010 were analyzed. Data were collated from a prospective database. Survival analysis was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  79 patients were analyzed (96.3% of all TMEs). There was a median length of stay of 5 days, with no postoperative mortality. The 5-year overall survival was 70% and the 5-year disease-free survival was 65.5%. There was a conversion rate of 10.1%. The 5-year overall survival for completed laparoscopic cases was 70.6% versus 62.5% for converted cases (P=0.041).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There seems to be increasing evidence that laparoscopic TME is equivalent to open TME for rectal cancer. Conversion may be deleterious to overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Minimal Access Therapy Training Unit, Postgraduate Medical School, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK. dayandrew@hotmail.co.uk
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jourdan
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rockall
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome