Equivalency of lymph node harvest in laparoscopic versus open colorectal cancer procedures: an early surgeon's perspective

• Published in: Surgical laparoscopy, endoscopy & percutaneous techniques Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 14 - 16
• Main Authors: Rivard, Justin Dallas, Hochman, David J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-2011
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitude of Health Personnel; Chi-Square Distribution; Colonoscopy - methods; Colorectal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Colorectal Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Colorectal Neoplasms - surgery; Female; Health Status Indicators; Humans; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymph Nodes - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Prospective Studies; Statistics as Topic; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1530-4515; 1534-4908
• DOI: 10.1097/SLE.0b013e31820651b3

To compare the number of lymph nodes harvested in laparoscopic versus open colorectal cancer surgery early in a surgeon's career.
We reviewed the data of 80 patients operated upon with a primary diagnosis of colorectal cancer between September 2006 and June 2008. All data were from a single fellowship trained colorectal surgeon. The effects of laparoscopic versus open surgery, and neoadjuvant radiation were examined to assess lymph node harvest.
There was no statistically significant difference between the lymph nodes harvested during laparoscopic versus open surgery (17.4 vs 18.5; P=0.5920). The amount of lymph nodes harvested decreased with increasing American Society of Anesthesiology grade (22.4, 17.1, 19.2, 7.0 for American Society of Anesthesiology grade I, II, III, IV, respectively; P=0.0412) and with neoadjuvant radiotherapy (18.7 vs 13.2; P=0.0151).
Laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery results in the same number of lymph nodes being harvested as in open surgery.