Short‐term outcomes after complete mesocolic excision compared with ‘conventional’ colonic cancer surgery. BJS 2016; 103: 581-589.

Results

Some 529 patients who underwent CME surgery at one centre were compared with 1701 patients undergoing ‘conventional’ resection at the other three hospitals. Laparoscopic CME was performed in 258 (48·8 per cent) and laparoscopic ‘conventional’ resection in 1172 (68·9 per cent). More extended right colectomy procedures were done in the CME group (17·4 versus 3·6 per cent). The 90‐day mortality rate in the CME group was 6·2 per cent versus 4·9 per cent in the ‘conventional’ group (P = 0·219), with a propensity score‐adjusted logistic regression odds ratio (OR) of 1·22 (95 per cent c.i. 0·79 to 1·87). Laparoscopic surgery was associated with a lower risk of mortality at 90 days (OR 0·63, 0·42 to 0·95). Intraoperative injury to other organs was more common in CME operations (9·1 per cent versus 3·6 per cent for ‘conventional’ resection; P < 0·001), including more splenic (3·2 versus 1·2 per cent; P = 0·004) and superior mesenteric vein (1·7 versus 0·2 per cent; P < 0·001) injuries. Rates of sepsis with vasopressor requirement (6·6 versus 3·2 per cent; P = 0·001) and postoperative respiratory failure (8·1 versus 3·4 per cent; P < 0·001) were higher in the CME group.