Safety and Feasibility of Laparoscopic Surgery for Small Bowel Obstruction

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic adhesiolysis is increasingly used to treat patients with small bowel obstruction (SBO), however, its safety of laparoscopic surgery(LS) with bowel resection in SBO is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to compare the perioperative outcomes of LS with those of open surgery (OS) for SBO and to evaluate the risk factors of 30-day postoperative morbidity and recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients who had been diagnosed with SBO and underwent surgery at four Hallym-University-affiliated hospitals between January 2013 and December 2016. The rates of 30-day postoperative complications and recurrence were compared between groups using univariate and multivariate analysis. Propensity score matching was performed to compare the outcome. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients with SBO were included in the present study, of which 86 underwent OS and 31 underwent LS. Time to water intake, time to soft diet, and postoperative hospital stay were significantly shorter in the LS group (p=0.002, 0.003, and 0.027, respectively). The complication (p=0.249) and recurrence rate (p=0.679) were similar between the two group. Propensity score matching analysis demonstrated that laparoscopic surgery showed quicker recovery and similar complication and recurrence rate. In multivariate analysis, LS was not associated with either complications (p=0.806) or recurrence (p=0.956). CONCLUSION: LS is associated with several perioperative advantages for the treatment of SBO without affecting the risk of 30-day postoperative complications or recurrence. Therefore LS can be a safe and feasible option for treating SBO.