title: Comparison of laparoscopic vs. open surgery for rectal cancer.
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the safety of laparoscopic radical resection for rectal cancer. A total of 64 cases of rectal cancer patients undergoing radical surgery between January, 1998 and March, 2010 were collected. The patients were divided into the laparoscopic rectal surgery group (LS group, n=31) and the open surgery group (OS group, n=33). Operation time, postoperative recovery, complications and tumor-free survival rate were compared between the two groups. The inclusion criteria were as follows: Standard Karnofsky score >70 prior to surgery, definitive pathological diagnosis and complete clinical data. The exclusion criteria were concomitant tumors affecting survival. With the Dixon operation, the LS group had a longer operation time compared with the OS group (271.2±56.2 vs. 216.0±62.7 min, respectively; P=0.036), and an earlier time of oral intake (3.0±0.9 vs. 4.7±1.0 days, respectively; P=0.000). There were no significant differences between the LS and OS groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes retrieved, duration of postoperative hyperthermia and hospitalization time (P>0.05). With the Miles operation, there were no obvious differences between the LS and OS groups regarding operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes retrieved, time of oral intake, duration of postoperative hyperthermia and hospitalization time (P>0.05). Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the LS and OS groups with the Dixon or Miles operation in terms of 3-year tumor-free survival rate (P>0.05). Thus, laparoscopic surgery appears to be a safe and feasible option for the treatment of rectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Anatomical Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zihai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Anatomical Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China; Department of General Surgery, Guangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510800, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510220, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shijie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Anatomical Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shizhen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nanfang Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
keywords: laparoscopic; open surgery; radical resection; rectal cancer