Open or laparoscopic resection: does approach matter?

Abstract

In colon cancer surgery, laparoscopic resection is a safer and more feasible method than open resection; however, despite its increasing popularity in recent years, laparoscopic approaches for the treatment of rectal cancer have not become a standard therapy option, due to the technical difficulties in gaining access to the deep and narrow pelvis and the steep learning curve. Multiple randomized trials found that short-term oncological outcomes and perioperative mortality and morbidity were comparable between laparoscopic and open rectal surgery, whereas comparative data between the two approaches. Comparative data between the two approaches on long-term oncological outcomes remain limited. In this review, we summarize the current status of laparoscopic surgery in rectal cancer in the light of recent studies.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgical Treatment Patterns for Colorectal Cancer in a Tertiary Medical Facility in Korea

“…Thus, the surgical approach was not chosen to avoid or reduce the risk of COVID infection. Rather, open surgery was regarded as appropriate for colorectal cancer based on its aggressiveness and resultant technical challenge [ 27 ]. For patients with the following circumstances, MIS was not generally recommended: any metastatic lesions or involved adjacent organs requiring resection that were not accessible with MIS, predicted severe adhesion in patients with extensive previous abdominal operation histories, and bulky tumors in which manual control was inevitable for resection or dissection.…”