Introduction
Laparoscopic colectomy has significant patient benefits in terms of shorter hospital stay, less postoperative pain and less narcotic use but is technically challenging during learning curve. Handassisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) which is a combination of open as well as laparascopy, allows tactile feedback because the surgeon’s hand used in retraction and dissection. This may decrease the technical difficulty and shorten the learning curve associated with performing laparoscopic colectomy.
Objectives
This study is designed to compare the Hand assisted laparascopic colorectal surgeries with conventional laparascopic colorectal surgeries with a view to ascribe relative advantage, Technical Proficiency and clinical outcomes.
Search Methods
Medline (Oct 2000 - August 2013) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane library, 2010 issue 10), Google, Springer Link. Cross references from list of major articles on subject were read with other relevant journals from a laparascopic research institute library.
Conclusion
Hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal resection offers similar short and long-term MIS (Minimal Invasive Sugery) benefits to that of totally laparoscopic assisted procedures. It is safe, feasible in benign as well as malignant colorectal tumors, it is easy to learn, easy to teach and most useful in complex colorectal procedures.
