OBJECTIVELaparoscopic-assisted surgery for colorectal cancer has been widely spread worldwide. To avoid the invasiveness of abdominal wound and get better good-looking, incisionless laparoscopic low anterior resection with transanal natural orifice specimen extraction using prolapsing technique for rectal cancer has been developed in our center. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety and short-term outcomes of this technique.

METHODSFrom January 2013 to October 2013, twenty-seven patients with rectal carcinoma were treated by incisionless laparoscopic low anterior resection, and the data of these patients were collected and retrospectively analyzed to assess the value of this technique.

RESULTSAll operations were successfully accomplished without conversion to open surgery or laparoscopic-assisted surgery. The mean operation time was 135 minutes. The mean blood loss was 50 ml. The mean first bowel movement was 48 hours. The post-operative hospital stay was 9 days. All patients had clean distal margin and the mean number of dissected lymph nodes was 18. One patient had anastomotic leakage.

CONCLUSIONSIncisionless laparoscopic low anterior resection with transanal natural orifice specimen extraction using prolapsing technique for rectal cancer appears to be feasible, safe and oncologically acceptable with a satisfactory short-term outcome for selected cases.