Open vs totally laparoscopic right colectomy: technique and results

Background Right colectomy is the surgical treatment for malignant pathologies involving the intestinal tract between the ileocecal Bahuino valve and the colic hepatic flexure. Laparoscopic resection must respect the same oncological criteria as the open approach including: ‘’no-touch isolation technique’’, isolation and ligation of the vascular pedicles at the origin, oncological lymphadenectomy and ‘’distal and radial clearance’’ of the neoplasm from resection margins. Two major procedures have been described for the treatment of right colon tumors: Open right colectomy (ORC) and Totally Laparoscopic resection (TL) in which vascular ligations, intestinal resection and anastomosis are performed by laparoscopy (Figure 1). In ORC technique, there is an abdominal right side laparotomy; in TL there is a minilaparotomy used only for endobag colon extraction and it is located in parapubic region.