OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to compare the short-term outcomes for hand-assisted, laparoscopic, and open resection for rectal cancer.

METHODSThree hundred ninety patients with rectal cancer who underwent curative resection between June 2009 and June 2012 were included. Patients were classified into a hand-assisted group (HALS, n=101), a laparoscopic surgery group (LS, n=157), and an open surgery group (OS, n=132). Patient and disease characteristics, operative parameters, postoperative morbidity, pathological results and length of recovery were compared among three groups.

RESULTSThe mean operating time was (173±39) min for the HALS group, (231±61) min for the LS group, and (173±39) min for the OS group (P<0.01). Conversion rates did not differ between HALS and LS groups (2.0% vs 3.2%, P=0.708). The overall complication rates were 11.9%, 11.5%, and 19.7% in the HALS, LS and OS groups respectively (P=0.100). The specimen quality with a specimen length, distal resection margin, harvested lymph nodes, and positive lymph nodes did not differ among the three groups. Patients in the HALS and LS groups recovered significantly faster than those from the OS group.

CONCLUSIONSThis comparative study shows that HALS and LS can reproduce the equivalent short-term results of standard OS. HALS retained the minimal invasive advantages of LS, and significantly shorten the operation time.