OBJECTIVETo compare the postoperative complications following laparoscopic and open colorectal cancer resection.

METHODSFrom January 2000 to September 2011, 910 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery and 434 open surgery. The postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSForty-eight patients (5.3%, 48/910) in the laparoscopic group were converted to open operation, of whom 36 (75.0%, 36/48) were due to difficulty in procedure and exposure from obesity and narrow pelvis. The overall complication rate was 20.3% (185/910) in the laparoscopic group and 25.3%(110/434) in the open group (χ2=4.316, P<0.05). For patients with a diverting stoma, the anastomotic leak rate was 2.1% (3/145) and 2.2% (2/93) (χ2=0.002, P>0.05), anastomotic bleeding rate was 3.4% (5/145) and 4.3% (4/93) (χ2=0.113, P>0.05). For patients without a diverting stoma, the anastomotic leak rate was 3.1% (22/699) and 1.0% (3/301) (χ2=3.993, P<0.05), anastomotic bleeding rate was 1.6% (11/699) and 2.3% (7/301) (χ2=0.673, P>0.05), bowel obstruction rate was 3.4% (31/910) and 5.8% (25/434) (χ2=4.077, P<0.05), chyle leak rate was 5.8% (53/910) and 3.7% (16/434) (χ2=2.757, P>0.05), urinary retention rate was 1.5% (14/910) and 1.6% (7/434) (χ2=0.011, P>0.05), wound infection rate was 2.2% (20/910) and 4.6% (20/434) (χ2=5.913, P<0.05), pulmonary infection rate was 6.4% (58/910) and 10.6% (46/434) (χ2=7.349, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe overall postoperative complication rate in laparoscopic surgery is significantly lower than that in open surgery.