Laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision for right-sided colon cancer using a cranial approach: anatomical and embryological consideration.

BACKGROUND: Complete mesocolic excision (CME) with central vascular ligation (CVL) should be employed for the treatment of colon cancer patients because of its superior oncological outcomes. However, this technique is technically challenging in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy because of the anatomical complexity of the transverse mesocolon.

METHODS: We focused on the embryology and anatomy of the transverse mesocolon to overcome the difficulty of this surgery. The validity and efficacy of a cranial approach in achieving CME with CVL in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy was elucidated from the embryological point of view.

RESULTS: In total, 28 consecutive patients with right-sided colon cancer were treated by laparoscopic right hemicolectomy using a cranial approach. There were no conversion to open surgery or switching to another approach. Using this approach, torsion and fusion of the transverse mesocolon, which occurred during embryological development, could be reversed and the complex anatomy of the transverse mesocolon could be simplified before performing CVL of colonic vessels.

CONCLUSIONS: A cranial approach is considered valid and useful for CME with CVL in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy from the embryological point of view.