Laparoscopic radical hemicolectomy: minimally invasive option for colon cancer

Abstract

Introduction. Colon cancer is one of the main causes of morbimortality in the world. Colombia counts near 145,600 new cases per year. The reports of laparoscopic intervention in this pathology are growing, but in Colombia there is little recent work on the matter. The aim of this article is to show how this pathology can be addressed through a minimally invasive procedure, laparoscopic right colectomy, which is not frequently used in the country. Clinical case. An 86-year-old patient consults due to weight loss, adynamia and abdominal pain on right side. Iron-deficiency anemia and hidden blood in feces was reported. The digestive endoscopies show the presence of a vegetant and ulcerated lesion of neoplastic appearance in the cecum. A biopsy revealed a moderately differentiated, invasive adenocarcinoma with areas of necrosis. A laparoscopic right colectomy is conducted. Definitive report of moderately differentiated and ulcerated, invasive, mucinous adenocarcinoma, with lesion up to the serous membrane. Follow up is conducted with neoadjuvant therapy by the Clinical Oncology service. Discussion. Adenocarcinoma is one of the most common primary cancers in the colon. Surgical still an excellent alternative for the management of this kind of tumor. In Colombia, the majority of these resections are carried out by open surgery. However, laparoscopic resection is a method that offers similar outcomes to the traditional procedure, while providing a reduction in the inflammatory response, with better pain control and control of functional limitations. Conclusions. Laparoscopic colectomy for the resection of colonic tumors is a safe, effective and reproducible method. However, it requires high-cost technology and it must be conducted by a surgical team skilled and experienced in manual laparoscopic suturing.