Intra-corporeal vs Extra-corporeal Anastomosis in Laparoscopically Assisted Right Hemicolectomy

Laparoscopic surgery has entailed a great technical revolution in colorectal surgery, providing a better and quicker return to normal functions of the patients, associating a lower morbidity and better aesthetic results compared with traditional open surgery. This study wants to find the difference between intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomosis.

The creation of an intracorporeal anastomosis in right hemicolectomy seems superior to extracorporeal anastomosis in terms of recovery of the normal bowel function, wound size, aesthetic results and analgesia requirements. This will entail a shorter hospital stay. Several studies have demonstrated this but all of them are retrospective non randomised.

In terms of postoperative pain, the most accepted theory is that it depends on the traction of the porto-mesenteric axis. When the intracorporeal anastomosis is performed there is no traction of this mesenteric axis while in the extracorporeal anastomosis this traction is more important in obese patients.

This traction of the mesentery, as well as being one of the main factors related with postoperative pain, is responsible of the postoperative adynamic ileus, that should have a higher incidence when the manipulation is higher.

In the patients undergoing an intracorporeal anastomosis, the assistance incision will be a suprapubic Pfannenstiel. In the patients undergoing an extracorporeal anastomosis the assistance incision will be a transverse in the right upper quadrant. It is well known that the Pfannenstiel incision has a lower incidence of superficial surgical wound infection, a lower rate of incisional hernia, a lower need of analgesics, and better aesthetic results, when compared with the incision in the right upper quadrant.