Abstract

Kassem Aldukhan73211*

Objective: This study compared the short-term operative and oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic surgery with those of open surgery in patients with rectal cancer.

Methods: Medical records of 80 patients (37 laparoscopic and 43 open surgery) treated between 2013 and 2017 were reviewed. Patients<18 years or harboring major medical comorbidities were excluded. Baseline clinical characteristics, operative and postoperative events, details of pathological specimens and follow-up information such as cancer recurrence or death among the patients were reviewed.

Results: All the clinical characteristics did not differ significantly between the two groups. Proximal and distal margins of surgical specimens as well as the total number of lymph nodes removed (median number 13.3 for laparoscopic vs. 12.4 for open surgery) were also similar. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications and after a median follow-up time was 6 months and 8 months for laparoscopic surgery and open procedures respectively where no significant differences in the recurrence rates were observed. There were no operative or cancer- related deaths.

Conclusion: There was no evidence that operative and early oncologic outcomes differ between laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer