Objective: To compare early outcomes of the minilaparotomy approach to the resection of rectal cancer with those of conventional laparotomy.
Design: Retrospective study.
Setting: University hospital, Japan.
Subjects: 18 patients who had complete resection through a minilaparotomy and 20 who had a conventional laparotomy served as the study and the control groups, respectively. Patients who were overweight or morbidly obese (body mass index >25) were excluded from the study.
Interventions: Complete resection through a skin incision less than 7 cm in length, or a conventional incision.
Main outcome measures: Early postoperative outcomes.
Results: Postoperative time intervals to standing, walking, passing flatus, and removal of the urinary catheter, and analgesic requirements were significantly less in the minilaparotomy group (p = 0.007, p = 0.004, p = 0.02, p = 0.002, and p = 0.05, respectively).
Conclusions: The minilaparotomy for complete resection of rectal cancer is less invasive than conventional laparotomy, and provides an attractive alternative in highly selected patients who are not overweight.