Age, is it an obstacle for older surgeons to learn laparoscopic approach for colorectal cancer?

How to Learn a Complex Endoscopic Procedure: Knots in Transanal Endoscopic Surgery: Different Skill Among Surgeons

PURPOSE

The intrarectal suture is considered a high technically complex procedure. The study's objectives were to assess the feasibility of making an intrarectal knot, through an in vitro study and assessing whether the video tutorial facilitates learning.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A detailed description of the technique. A comparative observational cross-sectional study in surgeons with no previous experience in intrarectal knots.

RESULTS

Twenty-one of these 32 participants passed the intrarectal knot test without video tutorial (T1) (65.6%), and 26 (81.2%) after the video tutorial (T2) (P=0.26). The mean time taken to tie the knot fell from 74 seconds (SD=46) in T1 to 41 seconds (SD=41) in T2 (P<0.001). At T1, 26 participants (81.3%) described the technique as difficult, but only 7 (21.9%) at T2 (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Performing the intrarectal knot suture is feasible. Despite the technical difficulty, the video tutorial is sufficient for surgeons to learn the technique.

Selection Bias in Colorectal Surgery in a Non-Tertiary Hospital: Laparoscopic Versus Open Surgery

INTRODUCTION

Laparoscopy is used increasingly to treat malignant and benign colorectal surgical diseases. However, this practice is still not offered to all patients. Many barriers halt the widespread use of laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Both surgeon's and patient's factors contribute to limit a wider use of laparoscopy in colorectal surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 408 consecutive colorectal resections in a 4-year period, to find out if a selection bias exists in using laparotomy or laparoscopy for colorectal surgical diseases, and which factors are associated with a poor use of laparoscopy or to a preferred laparotomy.

RESULTS

In our practice, advanced disease, American Society of Anesthesiologist class III and IV, and emergency status are all patient-related factors associated with laparotomy. Surgeon's age more than 52 years and lack of laparoscopic training are surgeon-related factors that negatively affect the chance of being operated on with the laparoscopic technique.

CONCLUSIONS

An extensive laparoscopic colorectal training and a supporting environment, especially during the night shift, are needed to facilitate the use of laparoscopy in colorectal surgery avoiding a bias in selecting surgical candidates to one technique or another.

Outcome of laparoscopic versus open resection for rectal cancer in elderly patients

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic colorectal resection has been gaining popularity over the past two decades. However, studies about laparoscopic rectal surgery in elderly patients with long-term oncologic outcomes are limited. In this study, we evaluated the short-term and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic and open resection in patients with rectal cancer aged ≥ 70 y.

METHODS

From 2007-2012, a total of 294 consecutive patients with rectal cancer from a single institution were included, 112 patients undergoing laparoscopic rectal resection were compared with 182 patients undergoing open rectal resection.

RESULTS

Seven (6.3%) patients in the laparoscopic group required conversion to open surgery. The two groups were well balanced in terms of age, gender, body mass index, American society of anesthesiologists scores, site, and stage of the tumors. Laparoscopic surgery was associated with significantly longer median operating time (220 versus 200 min; P = 0.005), less estimated blood loss (100 versus 150 mL; P < 0.001), a shorter postoperative hospital stay (8 versus 11 d), lower overall postoperative complication rate (15.2% versus 26.4%; P = 0.025), wound-related complication rate (7.14% versus 17.03%; P = 0.015), less need of blood transfusion (8.04% versus 16.5%; P = 0.038), and surgical intensive care unit after surgery (12.5% versus 22.0%; P = 0.042) when compared with open surgery. Mortality, quality of surgical specimen, lymph nodes harvested, positive distal, and circumferential margin rate were not significantly different between two groups. The estimated 3-y survival rates were similar between two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic rectal surgery is safe and feasible in patients >70 y and is associated with better short-term outcomes when compared with open surgery.