Faculty Collaboration Database

Retroileal anastomosis in hand-assisted laparoscopic left colectomy: experience at a single institution. Surg Endosc 2020 Aug;34(8):3408-3413

Date

09/12/2019

Pubmed ID

31506794

DOI

10.1007/s00464-019-07116-y

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85072047772 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   7 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Left hemicolectomy and complicated sigmoid colectomy require an anastomosis between the transverse colon and rectum. Generous mobilization will typically allow the colon to reach to the rectum. However, despite full mobilization of the splenic flexure and extensive work on the mesentery, there are cases in which reach to the pelvis is still an issue. Retroileal routing of the colon is one technique for overcoming such a reach problem and achieving a tension-free anastomosis. Performing retroileal routing using laparoscopic techniques has been reported rarely, and to date, there are no data on this technique when performed in a hand-assisted laparoscopic fashion. This study aimed to describe the feasibility of doing a retroileal routing using a hand-assisted laparoscopic technique.

METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent a colon or rectal resection, either open or laparoscopic, with a pelvic anastomosis, by a single colorectal surgeon at an academic institution between 2008 and 2015 with a focus on the immediate and long-term postoperative complications, estimated blood loss, and operating room time for patients having an operation that included retroileal routing for construction of a colorectal anastomosis.

RESULTS: A total of 340 patients fit inclusion criteria and of these, 13 underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic procedures with retroileal routing of the proximal colon to the colorectal anastomosis. Postoperative morbidity included intubation for CO₂ retention in one patient and a RLL effusion in another patient; there were no anastomotic leaks. Long-term morbidities included two ventral hernias at 2 years postoperatively. Mean operating room time was 208 min. There were no 30- or 90-day mortalities.

CONCLUSIONS: Hand-assisted laparoscopic retroileal routing is a feasible and safe technique in accomplishing a tension-free colorectal anastomosis when proximal colon length makes standard routing of the colon to the rectum an issue.

Author List

Blank JJ, Gibson EK, Peterson CY, Ridolfi TJ, Ludwig KA

Authors

Jacqueline Blank MD Assistant Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Kirk A. Ludwig MD Chief, Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Carrie Peterson MD, MS, FACS, FASCRS Associate Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Timothy J. Ridolfi MD, MS, FACS Associate Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Academic Medical Centers
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anastomosis, Surgical
Colectomy
Colon
Colon, Transverse
Female
Hand-Assisted Laparoscopy
Humans
Ileum
Male
Mesentery
Middle Aged
Operative Time
Pelvis
Postoperative Complications
Rectum
Retrospective Studies