Oncological surgical outcomes for colorectal cancer surgery with loco-regional anesthesia: A feasibility study.

Objectives: To evaluate the pathological outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who were unsuitable for general anesthesia and underwent regional anesthesia in terms of their suitability for oncological surgery.

Methods: A total of 53 patients who underwent mesocolicormesorectal surgery under regional anesthesia at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, between May 2019 and May 2023 were retrospectively examined. The negative margins of the proximal, distal, and circumferential margins of specimens, as well as the number of lymph nodes removed, were analyzed.

Results: All the patients had clear proximal, distal, and circumferential surgical margins. The median number of lymph nodes removed was 23.45 (min-max: 3-97). When patients (n=24) who received neoadjuvant therapy were excluded, an insufficient number (<12) of lymph nodes were removed in 3 (7.69%) patients. A total of 3 patients died postsurgery, resulting in a 30-day mortality rate of 5.6%.

Conclusion: For elderly and comorbid individuals with CRC, regional anesthesia can be used to carry out surgery with oncological principles.