Is total mesocolon excision necessary? A systematic review

Complete mesocolon excision is an alternative in the treatment of neoplasias. The open technique was initially described for the procedure; however, it has some limitations. In this scenario, videolaparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive alternative; however, its use in complete mesocolon excision is controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the results of videolaparoscopic complete mesocolon excision. A systematic review of the literature was performed for this study. Nine articles were selected, comprising 860 patients. The surgical results demonstrate the quality of the videolaparoscopic technique, which presents low morbidity and mortality and high survival rates after five years. Videolaparoscopy is a safe and effective method for complete mesocolon excision.