Is laparoscopic rectal surgery really not non-inferior?

Abstract

Laparoscopic rectal surgery has gained popularity over the last 20 years. Currently there are still questions surrounding the safety and efficacy of this technique as compared to the traditional open modalities. To date, despite the initial enthusiasm for laparoscopic rectal surgery this technique is yet to reach non-inferiority in trials when compared to open resection. This review article discusses the current evidence exploring the value of laparoscopic rectal surgery. It will discuss its evolution over the last 20 years, exploring all the major randomised control trials and their results. It is our belief that laparoscopic rectal surgery for malignancy is not non-inferior to conventional open surgery.

Keywords

Rectal cancer / laparoscopic / open surgery / non-inferior / survival rate

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