Abstracts
1999 Digestive Disease Week

# 2093 ARE THERE LIMITS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE LAPAROSCOPICALLY FOR BENIGN COLON DISEASE?
Jose Antonio Diaz-E., Morris E. Franklin Jr., Daniel Abrego, Jeffrey L. Glass, Jorge E. Balli, George B. Kazantsev, Texas EndoSurg Instute, San Antonio, TX

Introduction: Based on extensive development of laparoscopic technique for colon resection in the laboratory setting and very extensive clinical experience with advanced laparoscopic procedures, initial clinical work on colon resection for benign disease was started in 1990.
Patients and Methods: This report details ongoing experience with laparoscopic colon procedures for benign disease. This includes resections for diverticulitis (218 cases), polypectomies (46 cases), colostomy construction (20 cases) colostomy closure (14 cases), and a variety of miscellaneous colonic processes (36 cases).
Results: The overall conversion rate was 2.07% and the complication rate was 9.32%. The average hospital stay for uncomplicated cases was 4.3 days and the stay in complicated cases was 5.7 days (most secondary to cardiopulmonary problems). The wound complication rate was 1.03% for all patients (66% early, 33% late). There were 4 anastomotic complications including 1 leak and 3 late strictures; for an overall anastomotic complication rate of 1.84%. There was no death or immediate complication directly related to the laparoscopic approach.
Conclusion: In experienced hands, laparoscopic colon resection for benign disease is safe, effective and has a low complication rate.

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