OBJECTIVETo compare the short-term efficacy of modified medial (M-M) with traditional medial(T-M) approach in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy(LRHC)/or extended laparoscopic right hemicolectomy(ELRHC) for right or hepatic flexure colon cancer.

METHODSA comparative, retrospective study was performed that included all the patients scheduled for LRHC or ELRHC for right or hepatic flexure colon cancer between June 2013 and August 2014. The following factors of two groups were assessed: patient characteristics, operative details, pathology, and surgical outcomes.

RESULTSA total of 99 patients were evaluated, including 52 patients in the M-M group and 47 patients in the T-M group. Age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiology(ASA) class, tumor location, diameter of tumor were not significantly different between the two groups. As compared to the T-M group, M-M group was associated with a significantly shorter operative time [(105.6±38.8) min vs. (138.2±39.5) min, P<0.05], less estimated mean blood loss[(38.4±12.4) ml vs. (87.2±24.6) ml, P<0.05] and lower intraoperative vascular damage rate [5.8%(3/52) vs. 25.5%(12/47), P<0.05]. There were no significant differences between these two groups in terms of intraoperative complications, CME, conversion rate, number of harvested lymph node, postoperative ileus, hospital stay, wound, lung and urinary system infections.

CONCLUSIONThe use of M-M approach in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy provides short-term benefits in operative time and estimated blood loss compared with traditional medial approach.