title: Optimum level of inferior mesenteric artery ligation for the left-sided colorectal cancer. Systematic review for high and low ligation continuum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compares the effectiveness and impact of high inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) versus low IMA ligation on 5-year survival, lymph node yield rates, and peri-operative morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  The databases of Educational Resources Information Centre (ERIC), the Web of Science, EBSCO and MEDLINE were searched using MeSH terms 'colorectal cancer', 'inferior mesenteric artery', 'high ligation', 'low ligation', 'mesenteric lymph nodes', 'prognosis', and 'survival'. Only clinical studies were selected and review articles and meta-analysis were excluded. In cases of duplicate cohorts, only the latest article was included. Irrelevant articles and the articles on both right and left sided CRC were excluded. The finally selected studies were analysed for the defined end-point outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The published data has shown that high IMA ligation improves the yield of harvested lymph node that allows accurate tumor staging and a more reliable estimation of prognosis. High ligation was not found to be positively correlated with increased anastomotic leakage or impaired genito-urinary function. However, high ligation demands advanced surgical expertise and longer operating time. There was no significant difference in 5-year survival rates for both techniques. Some studies have reported fatal complications of high ligation such as proximal bowel necrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there is no consensus, this research signals the routine use of high ligation for left-sided CRC. However, the published fatal complications following high ligation and no significant difference in 5-year survival rates demand more studies to establishing a unified protocol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail. salmanguraya@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Salman Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Guraya
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D017537:Mesenteric Artery, Inferior / Q000601:surgery*