Conversion from Laparoscopic to Open Surgery in Colorectal Cancer Patients at Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka
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Degree Project, Programme in Medicine, “Conversion from Laparoscopic to Open Surgery in Colorectal Cancer Patients at Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka” by Hedvig Bengtsson, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Supervisors: Prof Göran Kurlberg and Dr Bawantha Gamage Introduction: Colorectal cancer is a common disease with an increasing incidence as the population ages. The minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery has become standard regimen of treatment. Several factors are known to affect the risk for conversion to open surgery while the impact of conversion on outcome is still not established. Aim: The study sets out to examine rate and causes of laparoscopic conversions in colorectal cancer patients and also to investigate whether conversions differ in amount and type of complications from non-converted resections in Sri Lanka. Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed and data was collected from medical files. Colorectal cancer patients who underwent a laparoscopic resection at Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Sri Lanka during 2013-2018 were eligible for inclusion. Results: Out of 58 patients included, 12 (20.7%) underwent conversion to open surgery. The most common reason for conversion was adhesions. The anterior resection was the most commonly performed procedure, but the right sided procedures were more frequently converted. No significant difference could be confirmed between the converted and nonconverted group regarding age, gender or comorbidities. The duration of hospital stay was longer in the converted group. Complications occurred as often among the converted patients as the non-converted patients, but the rate of anastomotic leak was higher in the conversion group compared to the successfully completed laparoscopic group. Conclusion: It was found that the rate of conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery was within the range reported previously. The patients who underwent conversion were not older or more comorbid. The results also suggested that complications following conversion are more severe.