OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and efficacy of lateral node dissection in rectal cancer.

METHODSData of safety and efficacy in 27 case-controlled studies comparing lateral node dissection and non-lateral node dissection in rectal cancer were meta-analyzed using fixed effect model or random effect model.

RESULTSThe increased operating time, blood loss and urinary dysfunction were more common in lateral node dissection group. The postoperative total complications, pelvic abscess, anastomotic leak, sexual dysfunction and defecation dysfunction were similar in both groups. There was no reasonably clear evidence in favor of lateral node dissection for recurrence, local recurrence, distal metastasis and 5-year survival.

CONCLUSIONLateral node dissection can neither reduce recurrence nor improve survival in the current study, which is not recommended to be a routine procedure in rectal cancer surgery.