50 patients assigned to undergo elective resection of primary colon and rectal cancer except those with bulky tumors >6 cm in size on CT, or with tumor infiltration to adjacent organs or those underwent previous major colonic resections or those with uncorrectable coagulopathy in the period from July 2009 to September 2010 in surgical clinic 1, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charite university, Berlin, Germany were included in the study to whom laparoscopic assisted resections were done. Matching with 50 cases of colorectal cancer patients with the same epidemiological data (age, site, stage and histological grade) to whom conventional open resections was done. An enhanced recovery protocol was adopted. The following data were collected and analyzed: preoperative data (individual patient data, indication for surgery), intraoperative data (conversion to open surgery, operative time, complications) & postoperative data (post operative pain, recovery of GIT functions, morbidity and mortality, hospital stay).
The results proved that Laparoscopic colorectal resection within a fast track regimen is associated with earlier postoperative recovery, earlier regain of intestinal function, less postoperative morbidity and shorter length of hospital stay in comparison with open approach within a fast track regimen.