Challenge or opportunity: outcomes of laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer in patients with high operative risk.
This study investigated the impact of laparoscopic rectal cancer resection for patients with high operative risk, which was defined as American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) grades III and IV. This study was conducted at a single center on patients undergoing rectal resection from 2006 to 2010. After screening by ASA grade III or IV, 248 patients who met the inclusion criteria were identified, involving 104 open and 144 laparoscopic rectal resections. The distribution of the Charlson Comorbidity Index was similar between the two groups. Compared with open rectal resection, laparoscopic resection had a significantly lower total complication rate (P<.0001), lower pain rate (P=.0002), and lower blood loss (P<.0001). It is notable that the two groups of patients had no significant difference in cardiac and pulmonary complication rates. Thus, these data showed that the laparoscopic group for rectal cancer could provide short-term outcomes similar to those of their open resection counterparts with high operative risk. The 5-year actuarial survival rates were 0.8361 and 0.8119 in the laparoscopic and open groups for stage I/II (difference not significant), as was the 5-year overall survival rate in stage III/IV (P=.0548). In patients with preoperative cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, the 5-year survival curves were significantly different (P=.0165 and P=.0210), respectively. The cost per patient did not differ between the two procedures. The results of this analysis demonstrate the potential advantages of laparoscopic rectal cancer resection for high-risk patients, although a randomized controlled trial should be conducted to confirm the findings of the present study.
1 Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgical Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine , Shanghai, China .
Ai-Guo
AG
Lu
Xue-wei
XW
Zhao
Zhi-hai
ZH
Mao
Ding-pei
DP
Han
Jing-kun
JK
Zhao
Puxiongzhi
P
Wang
Zhuo
Z
Zhang
Ya-ping
YP
Zong
Wolfgang
W
Thasler
Hao
H
Feng
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012306:Risk; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome