D3 lymphadenectomy using a medial to lateral approach for curable right-sided colon cancer

The extended D3 lymphadenectomy using a medial to lateral (MtL) approach for the treatment of curable right-sided colon cancer is performed with a view to improving oncologic surgery outcomes. However, the feasibility and safety of this procedure has not been fully examined. The present study investigated the feasibility and safety of D3 lymphadenectomy using the MtL approach for curable right-sided colon cancers. Between January 2005 and May 2007, 42 patients underwent a curative-intent right (25) or extended right (17) hemicolectomy including D3 lymphadenectomy using the MtL approach performed by the same single surgeon. The extent of the D3 lymphadenectomy followed the recommendations of the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum. There were 27 male and 15 female patients, with a mean age of 59.2 years (range, 30-83). The mean operation time was 172.5 min (range, 55-274) and the mean blood loss was 128.3 ml (range, 50-500). All procedures were successful and no conversions to open surgery were required in laparoscopic cases (32 patients, 76.2%). The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 45 (range, 18-92). There was no surgical mortality or morbidity, except one case of postoperative ileus which was conservatively managed. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 8.6 days (range, 6-15). The findings indicate that a D3 lymphadenectomy using the MtL approach is a feasible and safe procedure for the treatment of curable right-sided colon cancer.