ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The laparoscopic colectomy is avoided principally because of its technical difficulty, steep learning curve, and increased operative time. Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) is an alternative technique that addresses these problems while preserving the short-term benefits of a laparoscopic colectomy. Our study was aimed to describe the characteristics of patients admitted due to left-sided colon and rectal cancer for HALS. METHODS: A prospectively maintained database was used to identify patients who underwent HALS at the Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University, from July 1, 2009, to October 1, 2012. RESULTS: One hundred-three HALS colorectal resections were performed. The patients' mean age was 64 +/- 13.4 years. There were 46 male and 57 female patients. The body mass index was 27.3 +/- 5.8 kg/m2. Forty-three patients (41.8%) had experienced prior abdominal surgery. The mean HALS time was 105 minutes (range, 55-85 minutes). The conversion rate was 2.7% (3/103). The median of return of gastrointestinal function was 2.5 days (range, 2.2-4.5 days). The median length of hospital stay was 9 days. The postoperative complication and mortality rates were 10.7% and 0.97%, respectively. Four incisional hernias (3.9%) were seen at a mean follow-up of 7.0 +/- 3.4 months. None of the patients had a trocar or a hand-port site recurrence. CONCLUSION: A HALS colorectal resection is a safe and effective technique, and it provides all the benefits of minimally invasive surgery.