Totally Intracorporeal Laparoscopic Colectomy (TILC) Is Associated With Similar Surgical Outcomes in High and Low Operative Risk Patients

Abstract

Patients undergoing laparoscopic-assisted colectomy with obesity, high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, and left-sided colon tumors are at high risk for operative conversion and complications. We hypothesized that a completely intracorporeal laparoscopic colectomy would be beneficial for high-risk patients compared with healthy, low-risk patients. We conducted a retrospective study of 136 consecutive patients undergoing a standardized totally intracorporeal laparoscopic colectomy for neoplasms from February 2004 to September 2011. Patients were stratified into a high-risk group with 1 or more factors: body mass index >30, ASA grade ≥ 3, and left-sided tumors or a low-risk group with no factors. Variables compared were case frequency during the learning curve, body mass index, estimated blood loss, operative time, conversion, 30-day complications, and length of stay. Comparisons between groups were made by χ2 analysis or t test where appropriate. Data are expressed as median ± SD, odds ratio, and significance defined as P<0.05. Laparoscopic colectomy was performed in 136 patients with a conversion rate of 4%. There were 86 high-risk patients and 50 low-risk patients. High-risk patients had a significantly (P<0.005) longer operative time (225 ± 66 vs. 186 ± 55 min) but no significant difference in estimated blood loss, conversion rates, learning curve, complications, or length of stay compared with low-risk patients. When laparoscopic colectomy is performed totally intracorporeally, surgical outcomes in high-risk patients with obesity, high ASA grade, and left-sided tumors are equally successful to results achieved for low-risk patients that are thin, healthy, with right-sided lesions.