Prevention and Treatment of Major Postoperative Complications After Laparoscopic Colorectal Resections

Abstract

Colorectal surgery for benign and malignant disease comprise of the majority of the abdominal operations. It is generally done either by colorectal surgeons or gastrointestinal surgeons. The implementation of the laparoscopic approach, since its introduction in 1991, has rapidly expanded particularly over the last 5 years. Patient demands, surgeon’s preference, broad acceptance, and above all training programs have been responsible for this explosive growth. In most surgical units the laparoscopic approach is the preferred one in primary surgery for colorectal disease. With the introduction of the laparoscopic approach specific complications have emerged, e.g., trocar herniation, nonexisting in open surgery. In this chapter we will focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of major complications associated with laparoscopic colorectal surgery, e.g., “late” conversion, peroperative major bleeding, bowel ischemia, and anastomotic leakage.