BACKGROUND: To study the technical possibilities and results of the minilaparotomy approach to colon diseases. METHODS: Twenty-six patients, 12 males and 14 females were submitted to laparotomies with skin incisions smaller than 10cm length. Incisions were paramedian over the tumoral area, localized by palpation or colonoscopy. RESULTS: Minilaparotomies extension varied between 3.6 and 10cm (average - 7.11cm) to treat colon diseases. Several operations were performed through minilaparotomies as follows: right colectomies, sigmoidectomies, segmental colectomies and colotomies. The diseases treated by minilaparotomies were: adenocarcinoma - 20, lipoma - 1, adenomatous polyp - 1, carcinoid - 1, ileocecal Crohn - 1, villous adenoma - 1 and mucocele - 1. Twenty-five patients didn't have complications. A 90 years old woman with an occluded and disseminated sigmoid cancer died from bronchopneumonia in spite of normal intestinal function. Bowel function was restored very early with passage of flatus during the second and third days and stools during the third and fourth days. Tumors 8 cm length or smaller could be handled by small incisions, larger or fixed tumors could not be treated by minilaparotomies. CONCLUSION: Minilaparotomies approach to treat colon diseases seems to be an alternative procedure to conventional or laparoscopic surgery in selected cases. The oncologycal principles and resection for colon cancer are the same as obtained with conventional laparotomies. Recovery was uneventful and without significant pain. It represents a suitable technique with a superior cosmetic effect.
Laparotomia; Colectomia; Colonic Neoplasms; Colonic diseases; Laparatomy; Colectomy
