Impact of Conversion to Open Surgery on Early Postoperative Morbidity After Laparoscopic Resection for Rectal Adenocarcinoma: A Retrospective Study

Abstract Background: The impact of conversion to open surgery after a laparoscopic resection for rectal adenocarcinoma on postoperative morbidity is still unclear. Most previous studies included colon and rectal carcinomas and produced conflicting results. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of conversion to open surgery on early postoperative morbidity in patients who underwent a laparoscopic resection for rectal adenocarcinoma. Methods: This was a retrospective bicentric study. It included all consecutive patients who underwent a laparoscopic resection for nonmetastatic rectal adenocarcinoma between January 2005 and December 2013. The impact of conversion to open surgery on 30-day postoperative morbidity was analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Risk factors for conversion were also investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: One hundred thirty-one patients were included. The conversion rate was 26.7%. The global 30-day morbidity rate was 31.3% (41 patients...