Abstract:
Objective: To investigate the feasibility of preserving the left colonic artery in laparoscopic radical resection of rectal cancer and its effect on perioperative indices and complications.
Methods: The clinical data of 103 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical resection of rectal cancer in Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital from January 2017 to June 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 52 cases involving the preservation of the left colonic vessels; in 51 cases, the left colonic vessels were not preserved. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, time to the recovery of gastrointestinal function, postoperative complications, and the number of dissected lymph nodes were compared between the two groups.
Results: There were no cases involving conversion to open laparotomy; no perioperative deaths were noted in either group. Operation time, blood loss, and the number of dissected lymph nodes in the observation group vs. control group were (188.2±9.0) min vs. (185.6±13.3) min, (53.9±4.1) mL vs. (54.4±4.1) mL, and (18.5±1.8) vs. (19.4±2.1), respectively; there were no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). The recovery time of bowl sounds was shorter in the observation group than in the control group(21.2±2.0) h vs. (25.2±3.2) h, P < 0.05. There were no significant differences in the incidence of anastomotic leakage or anastomotic stricture between the two groups (P>0.05). Two weeks after the operation, the volume of residual urine in the bladder was significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group(34.8±8.4)mL vs. (45.5±15.6)mL, P < 0.05.
Conclusions: Low ligation of the left colonic artery did not reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage or anastomotic stenosis and did not affect the blood supply of the anastomosis. Furthermore, it did not prolong the operation time or increase the amount of intraoperative bleeding. The number of dissected lymph nodes (including 253 lymph nodes) in the low ligation group was not less than that in the high ligation group. Low ligation can reduce the increase in the volume of residual urine in the bladder caused by a loss of pelvic autonomic nerve function and can accelerate the postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function.