Laparoscopic Approaches to Splenic Flexure Mobilization Tailored According to Disease- and Patient-Related Factors

Abstract

AbstractEarly in the 1990s, minimally invasive surgery manifested in laparoscopic surgery found its way to the field of colorectal surgery. Since then, a rising trend in utilizing laparoscopic approach in colorectal surgery, either for benign or malignant disease, is being noticed. In laparoscopic colorectal surgery, the most difficult and challenging step for colorectal surgeons is the mobilization of the splenic flexure. Laparoscopic mobilization of the splenic flexure is an area of debate, with no universally accepted gold standard approach. Multiple approaches have been described in the medical literature and no approach is considered the standard approach. Hence, colorectal surgeons should be familiar with all the different approaches and they should have the ability of utilizing a tailored splenic flexure mobilization approach modified according to patient- and disease-related factors. Herein, we review the different surgical approaches to laparoscopic splenic flexure mobilization that can be tailored to the surgeons needs according to patient- and disease-related factors.