ABSTRACT
Published studies demonstrate that short-term outcomes after hand-assisted laparoscopic (HALS) colectomy are similar to those following conventional laparoscopic colectomy, with similar incision size, similar reduction in duration of ileus when compared to open colectomy, with the advantage of reduced operative times and conversion rates in the hand-assisted group as compared to the straight laparoscopy group.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 HALS techniques are especially useful during total abdominal colectomy, given the need for performance of multiple complex maneuvers: mobilization of both flexures; separating the omentum from the transverse colon; and division of the transverse mesocolon. In a prospective randomized trial comparing straight laparoscopic versus hand-assisted laparoscopic total abdominal colectomy, HALS provided a 48 minute reduction in operative time (p = 0.015) with no difference in other outcomes.4
