Medtronic’s study ‘shows benefits of laparoscopic colon resection’

MedtronicMedtronic has carried out a study that demonstrates the benefits of laparoscopic colon resection, including leaving hospital faster, visiting the doctors less and taking fewer medicines.

The findings, which were published online on March 25th in JAMA Surgery, suggest that this minimally-invasive procedures is better for the patient compared to open surgery and offers compelling near and long-term cost savings for the healthcare service.

Conor P Delaney, from University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland and lead author of the study, commented: "We found that the use of minimally-invasive laparoscopic approaches in a select group of patients undergoing colectomy procedures resulted in significantly lower healthcare costs and resource utilisation compared with open surgical approaches."

He added that the results of the study may expand access and lower the cost of patient care in the long term.

A colectomy is the surgical removal of part or all of the colon and the rectum, and is usually performed on a patient to treat several digestive health conditions, such as diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and cancer of the colon and rectum.

The study revealed that laparoscopic colectomy procedures – which use three or four small incisions rather than one large one – resulted in lower costs and reduced utilisation of hospital resources across the board.