Left Hemicolectomy - Laparoscopic

Laparoscopic resection is the most important technical development in colorectal surgery that has occurred over the last decade and offers patients considerable advantages compared to open resection. These include reduced incidence of postoperative wound infections, intra-abdominal adhesions, and postoperative ileus due to reduced handling of the small bowel, leading to shorter length of stay and potentially reduced hospital costs.^{1, 2} Initial concern regarding the oncological outcome after laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer, including a possible increased incidence of port site metastases, initially delayed widespread acceptance of the technique; however, large randomized trials such as the Clinical Outcomes of Surgical Therapy (COST) Study Group³ and the Conventional versus Laparoscopic Assisted Surgery in Colorectal Cancer (CLASICC) trial⁴ have shown no differences in either local or distant recurrence rates or survival rates between laparoscopic and open resection.