Role of laparoscopy in rectal cancer: A review

Table 6 Bowel function recovery

Ref.	Design	Measurement	Lap	Open	P value
Time to peristalsis
Liang et al[17]	RCT	d	3.9	4.2	0.001
Ng et al[21]	RCT	d	4.1	4.7	0.06
Ng et al[22]	RCT	d	4.3	6.3	0.001
Guillou et al[8]	RCT	d	5	6	N/A
Zhou et al[30]	RCT	d	1.5	2.7	0.009
Aziz et al[28]	MA	d	MD -1.52 d [95%CI: -2.2-(-1.01), P = significant]
Time to 1st flatus
Ng et al[22]	RCT	d	3.1	4.6	0.001
Kang et al[18]	RCT	h	38.5	60	0.001
Time to 1st stool
Kang et al[18]	RCT	h	96.5	123	0.001
Liang et al[17]	RCT	d	3	3.3	0.001
Arezzo et al[31]	MA	d	3.3 vs 4.4
			MD -0.96 d [95% CI -1.3-(-0.6), P < 0.001]
Time to oral feeding initiation
Kang et al[18]	RCT	h	85	93	0.001
Guillou et al[8]	RCT	d	6	6	N/A
Ng et al[21]	RCT	d	4.3	4.9	0.001
Ng et al[22]	RCT	d	4.3	6.3	0.001
Aziz et al[28]	MA	d	MD -0.92 d [95%CI: -1.35-(-0.5), P = significant]
Arezzo et al[31]	MA	d	3.8 vs 4.8
			MD -1 d [95%CI: -1.4-(-0.7), P < 0.001]

RCT: Randomized controlled trial; MA: Meta-analysis; MD: Mean difference; N/A: Not applicable; CI: Confidence interval.