Treatment and outcome of right colon cancers adherent to adjacent organs or the abdominal wall

Management of complications in surgery of the colon

BACKGROUND

General surgeons are frequently confronted with colorectal diseases in their daily practice, whereby colorectal cancer is the second most common malignant tumour, with almost 5000 new cases every year in Austria. The incidence of benign colon disorders requiring surgery (e.g. colon polyps, sigmoid diverticulitis) is also increasing. The first aim in colon surgery should be to avoid complications and if they occur to treat them properly.

METHODS

We basically distinguish between general and special complications. As general complications, prevention of malnutrition and support of the immune system should receive special attention. As the number of elderly patients increases, so does the risk not only of thrombembolic complications but also of critical cardiocirculatory situations, and renal and hepatic failure. Special complications depend either on the type of surgery (laparoscopic assisted, conventional open surgery) or the techniques employed (stapled, hand sutured). Handling of the tissue also plays a major role (e.g. dry versus wet pads).

RESULTS

Shortening of the postoperative stay decreases both hospital costs and the incidence of infections, meaning that minimally invasive surgery and postoperative "fast track nutrition" should be promoted. Emergency operations should be avoided (e.g. bridging through colonic stents), as morbidity and mortality are clearly increased in comparison to (semi-) elective operations. During the operation itself, new equipment and techniques (such as Ultracision®, Ligasure®) as well as a well coordinated team help to reduce complications and duration of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

To avoid is better than to repair. If complications do occur, appropriate surgical and intensive - care measures should be taken immediately.

Resección abierta frente a laparoscópica en el cáncer de colon no complicado. Revisión sistemática

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study was to determine the best surgical option for elective surgery in non-complicated colon cancer by comparing open (OR) and laparoscopic resection (LR).

PATIENTS AND METHOD

A systematic review of the literature was performed. Studies of non-complicated colon cancer in adults treated by OS and LS published between 1990 and 2002 were analyzed. The MEDLINE, LILACS and COCHRANE databases were used, employing MeSH terms and free words. Selected studies were analyzed using a specially designed score of methodological quality to examine and compare studies with different types of design. The number of treated patients, 3-year actuarial survival rate, 3-year disease-free survival, recurrence, morbidity, mortality and the methodological quality of primary studies were analyzed. Means, medians, extreme values and weighted means were calculated, and the methodological quality of primary studies was compared using median 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Six hundred eighty related articles were found; of these, 11 were analyzed. Hospital stay was 10.1 days for OR and 6.5 days for LR. Morbidity was 19.5% for OR and 26.9% for LR and mortality was 1.6% and 1.7% respectively. With mean follow-up periods of 58 months for OR and 30 months for LR, actuarial and free-disease survival rates were 74.3% and 75.6% for OR and 87.0% and 89.5% for LR. The median score for methodological quality was 16 for OR and 18.5 for LR.

CONCLUSIONS

The early and medium-term results of LR are similar to those observed in OR in patients with non-complicated colon cancer.