Ichiro Takemasa1, Mitsugu Sekimoto2, Masaaki Miyo3, Toshiyuki Mori4, Masazumi Okajima5, Yuko Ohno6, Yuichiro Doki3, Masaki Mori3. 1Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Science, Sapporo Medical University, 2Department of Surgery, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, 3Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 4Department of Surgery, Kyorin University Hospital, 5Department of Surgery, Hiroshima City Hiroshima Citizens Hospital, 6Department of Mathematical Health Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
Background: There has been a steady increase in penetration of minimally invasive surgery for colon cancer including conventional multiport laparoscopic colectomy (MLC) and single-site laparoscopic colectomy (SLC). However, it is not clear how important the cosmetic outcome, one of the advantages of SLC, is to patients and whether SLC reflects social needs.
Methods: We used a web-based questionnaire to survey both non-medical persons and medical specialists for what factors were considered important on the assumption that respondents undergo surgery and that the MIP (most important person) for them undergoes. Five factors (curability, safety, pain, duration of hospital stay, and cosmetic outcomes) were compared. After randomly paired pre and postoperative photographs of the abdomen of the patients performed SLC and MLC were shown, perceptions of body image and cosmesis were assessed using a visual analogue scale.
Results: This study included a total of 1,352 respondents (990 non-medical and 362 medical). Curability was assigned as the most important factor, followed by safety. The scores for cosmetic outcomes were almost equal with those of the duration of hospital stay, which was associated with medical costs and pain. Participants who were female, younger, and in the non-medical group placed great importance on cosmetic outcomes. For all questions regarding body image and cosmesis, SLC had superior scores compared with MLC.
Conclusions: Understandably, curability and safety were scored as the most important factors in colon cancer surgery. Although, medical specialists should consider cosmetic outcomes as social needs, even in malignant cases.
Keywords: Colon cancer, single-site laparoscopic colectomy, cosmetic outcomes, minimally invasive surgery.
Presented at the SAGES 2017 Annual Meeting in Houston, TX.
Abstract ID: 88557
Program Number: P202
Presentation Session: iPoster Session (Non CME)
Presentation Type: Poster