Validation of the German classification system for quality assessment of right-sided colon cancer specimens.

AIM: The German classification system of the completeness of mesocolic excision aims to assess the quality of right-sided colonic cancer surgery by review of photographs. We aimed to validate the reliability of the classification in a clinical context. METHOD: The study was based on a cohort of patients undergoing resection for right-sided colon cancer in two university hospitals served by the same group of pathologists. Prospectively collected photographs of the specimens were assessed twice by six colorectal surgeons to determine the intra-rater and inter-rater accuracy of the German classification and a modification assessing extended right-sided resections. RESULTS: Specimens from 613 resections for right-sided colon cancer were reviewed. Twenty-one specimens were found to be non-assessable, leaving 436 right hemicolectomies, 139 extended right hemicolectomies and 17 right-sided subtotal colectomies. Intra-rater reliability was 0.57-0.74 and weighted kappa coefficients 0.58-0.74, without differences between subgroups. The percentage of agreement between all six participants was 20.3% for all specimens, 21.1% for right hemicolectomy specimens and 18.1% for extended hemicolectomy and right-sided subtotal colectomy specimens. For the right hemicolectomy specimens, the model-based kappa coefficient for agreement was 0.27 (95% CI 0.24-0.30) and for association 0.45 (95% CI 0.41-0.49). CONCLUSION: The German classification of right hemicolectomy specimens showed low intra-rater reliability and inter-rater agreement and association. The use of this classification for scientific purposes appeared not to be reliable.

Surgical efficacy and learning curves of laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision with intracorporeal anastomosis for right-sided colon cancer: A retrospective two-center cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is a potential benefit on long-term outcomes following complete mesocolic excision (CME) for right-sided colon cancer when compared to conventional colectomy. This study aims to analyze the learning curve and short-term outcomes of laparoscopic CME with intracorporeal anastomosis (ICA) for right-sided colon cancer in the hands of experienced colorectal surgeons. METHODS: A two-center cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing right-sided colectomy from September 2021 to May 2022 at two tertiary colorectal centers in Denmark. Learning curves of surgical time were estimated using a cumulative sum analysis (CUSUM). RESULTS: A total of 61 patients were included. According to the CUSUM analysis, 32 cases were needed to obtain a peak in operative time, resulting in a decrease in time consumption (group 1/learning phase: 217.2 min [SD 53.6] and group 2/plateau phase 191.6 min [SD 45.1], p = 0.05). There was a nonsignificant reduction in the rates of severe surgical complications (Clavien-Dindo > 3) (13% vs. 7%, p = 0.67) between the two groups, while the length of hospital stay remained constant (median 3.0 days, interquartile range, IQR [2.0; 4.0]). CONCLUSION: The learning curve of laparoscopic CME with ICA for right-sided colon cancer demonstrated that 32 cases were needed to obtain a plateau phase expressed by operative time.