OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and cosmetic result of suprapubic single incision laparoscopic surgery(SSILS) in the treatment of rectosigmoid cancer.

METHODSClinicopathological data of 16 patients undergoing SSILS and 122 undergoing conventional laparoscopic surgery(CLS) for sigmoid colon and upper rectal cancer in the Nanfang Hospital from August 2011 to July 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were analyzed with propensity score matching at a ratio of 1 to 2 by logistic regression analysis. The matching covariates included age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA) score, tumor location, tumor diameter, pathologic TNM stage, previous abdominal surgery. After matching, 48 patients (16 SSILS and 32 CLS) were enrolled in the study. The SSILS group comprised of 13 (81.3%) males with mean age of (56.4±13.4) years. The CLS group comprised of 23(71.9%) males with mean age of (55.6±13.7) years. Postoperative short-term parameters, oncologic efficacy and cosmetic result were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe male gender ratio, age, body mass index, ASA score, tumor location, tumor diameter, tumor differentiation, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, previous abdominal surgery were comparable between the two groups. As compared to CLS group, less incision length [(4.8±1.5) cm vs. (6.8±1.2) cm, U=63.000, P=0.000], shorter time to ambulation [(2.6±1.0) days vs. (3.9±1.5) days, U=116.500, P=0.002], shorter hospital stay [(8.4±5.3) days vs.(9.2±3.1) days, U=139.000, P=0.010] and less postopertive pain(Visual Analogue Scale: 4.3±1.4 vs. 5.2±1.1 at day 3, t=2.457, P=0.018; 3.7±1.0 vs. 4.6±1.0 at day 4, t=2.700, P=0.010; 3.3±0.8 vs. 4.0±1.0 at day 5, t=2.466, P=0.017) were observed in SSILS group. The other short-term parameters(blood loss, operative time, insertion of additional port rate, time to flatus, defecation, time to liquid and soft diet, complication morbidity, number of lymph nodes harvested, proximal and distal resection margin) were not significantly different between 2 groups(all P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 41(22-49) months. There was no loco-regional recurrence in 2 groups. Distant metastasis was 18.8% (n=3, all liver metastasis) and 6.3% (n=2, one liver metastasis and one peritoneal metastasis) in SSILS and CLS groups (χ(2)=0.698, P=0.404) respectively. Three-year disease-free survival and 3-year overall survival were 81.3% vs 93.0%(χ(2)=1.355, P=0.244) and 100.0% vs 96.9%(χ(2)=0.500, P=0.480) in SSILS and CLS groups, respectively. Photograph questionnaire investigation showed that the cosmetic score was significantly higher in SSILS group than that in CLS group (8.9±1.1 vs. 7.6±1.1, U=100.500, P=0.000). Of 48 patients of 2 groups, 81.3%(39/48) case preferred SSILS.

CONCLUSIONIn experienced laparoscopic treatment centers, SSILS for rectosigmoid cancer is feasible and safe with quite good oncological efficacy and certain advantages, such as fast recovery, less pain and better cosmetic result.