Influence of conversion on the perioperative and oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer compared with primarily open resection.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to evaluate the influence of conversion on perioperative and short- and long-term oncologic outcomes in laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer and to compare these with those for an open control group.


METHODS
The data of 276 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for rectal cancer between 2006 and 2010 at a single institution were prospectively collected. Of the 276 patients, 114 underwent primarily open surgery, and 162 underwent laparoscopic surgery (on an intention-to-treat basis). Of the 162 laparoscopic patients, 38 (23.5%) underwent conversion to open surgery. The three groups of patients were compared: the conversion surgery group, the open surgery group, and the completed laparoscopy surgery group.


RESULTS
The converted patients had more wound infections (18.4 vs 4.8%, p = 0.009), but the wound infection rate in the primarily open group also was significantly higher than in the laparoscopic resection group (p = 0.007). No further differences in perioperative morbidity, including anastomotic leakage, were found. The perioperative 30-day mortality rate was comparable between all the groups (0.6 vs 2.6 vs 2.6%, nonsignificant difference). The oncologic parameters such as number of harvested lymph nodes and rate of R0 resection were equal in all the groups. The completed laparoscopy group had a shorter hospital stay [12 vs 16 days in the primarily open group (p = 0.02) vs 15 days in the converted group (p = 0.03)]. The rates for survival, local recurrence (4.5 vs 3 vs 3%), and metachronous metastasis (10.1 vs 9.3 vs 9%) did not differ significantly between the three groups after a period of 3 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Conversion to open surgery in laparoscopic rectal resection has no negative effect on perioperative or long-term oncologic outcome.
Department of Surgery, University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany, alexander.rickert@umm.de.
Alexander
A
Rickert
Florian
F
Herrle
Fabian
F
Doyon
Stefan
S
Post
Peter
P
Kienle
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods*; D061887:Conversion to Open Surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome