Short-term clinical outcomes of laparoscopic vs open rectal excision for rectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Table 2 Results of the meta-analyses comparing laparoscopic rectal resection vs open rectal resection

Outcome variables	Number of studies (Number of patients)	RR or MD	95%CI(Low; High)	P value	Heterogeneity, I2(P value)	Sensitivity analysis by including the largest multi-centric RCTs
						Number of studies (Number of patients)	RR or MD	95%CI (Low; High)	P value	Heterogeneity, I2 (P value)
Intraoperative outcomes
Operative time	12 (3723)	36.67	27.22; 46.11	<0.00001	89% (< 0.00001)	4 (2319)	41.18	24.88; 57.48	< 0.00001	85% (0.0002)
Intraoperative morbidity	4 (1909)	0.97	0.74; 1.27	0.82	8% (0.35)	2 (1500)	1.02	0.60; 1.72	0.94	61% (0.11)
Estimated blood loss	11 (3380)	-88.8	-117.25; -60.34	< 0.00001	83% (< 0.00001)	4 (2319)	-82.1	-158.87; -5.34	0.04	94% (< 0.00001)
Incision length	5 (1629)	-11.17	-13.88; -8.47	< 0.00001	99% (< 0.00001)	3 (1275)	-10.51	-16.16; -4.85	0.0003	99% (< 0.00001)
Ureter injury	5 (2256)	1.23	0.20; 7.72	0.82	51% (0.11)	2 (1500)	2.59	0.66; 10.11	0.17	0% (0.67)
Gastrointestinal injury	4 (2052)	1.14	0.25; 5.17	0.86	73% (0.02)	2 (1500)	1.05	0.13; 8.22	0.96	86% (0.007)
Postoperative outcomes
Postoperative morbidity	12 (3313)	0.98	0.88; 1.09	0.75	16% (0.3)	3 (1844)	1.02	0.91; 1.15	0.69	0% (0.65)
Postoperative mortality	13 (3751)	0.65	0.34; 1.23	0.19	0% (1)	4 (2319)	0.60	0.27; 1.33	0.21	0% (0.89)
Length hospital stay	12 (3738)	-1.71	-2.84; -0.58	0.003	90% (< 0.00001)	4 (2296)	-0.25	-0.90; 0.39	0.44	52% (0.10)
Anastomotic leak	9 (2253)	0.97	0.69; 1.34	0.84	0% (0.6)	3 (1351)	1.19	0.79; 1.80	0.41	0% (0.53)
Reoperation rate	7 (2468)	0.93	0.64; 1.34	0.69	3% (0.4)	3 (1844)	1.19	0.77; 1.86	0.43	0% (0.42)
Ileus	10 (2930)	0.77	0.55; 1.06	0.11	0% (0.66)	3 (1875)	0.79	0.43; 1.44	0.44	62% (0.07)
Bowel recovery	9 (3149)	-0.68	-1.00; -0.36	< 0.0001	79% (< 0.00001)	3 (1922)	-0.59	-1.24; 0.07	0.08	87% (0.0005)
Wound infection	10 (2684)	0.81	0.61; 1.09	0.16	0% (0.5)	1 (1042)	0.82	0.43;1.47	0.5	NA
Chest infection	7 (1252)	1.55	0.82; 2.93	0.17	0% (0.61)	0 (0)	-	-	-	-
Urinary infection	7 (1075)	0.89	0.50; 1.57	0.68	15% (0.32)	0 (0)	-	-	-	-

RR: Risk ratios; MD: Mean difference; CI: Confidence interval; NA: Not applicable.