RESUMEN
Attempt to perform surgery with laparoscopic technologies was taken in 80 (50.6%) from 158 patients with cancer of the rectum. Surgery was finished only with laparoscopy in 64 (80.0%) cases, conversion to open operation was necessary in 16 (20.0%). Open anterior surgery was performed in 78 patients. Patients after laparoscopic operations required less narcotic analgesics (63.3 +/- 1.5 and 105.0 +/- 2.2 mg, respectively) and demonstrated earlier restoration of peristalsis (31.7 +/- 1.2 hours and 59.4 +/- 1.7 hours, respectively). Rate of complications after laparoscopic surgeries was 9.4%, after open--25.6%. Three-year survival after laparoscopic anterior resection was 91.7%, after open--84.6%. Survival of patients depends of depth of invasion into intestinal loop and lesion of lymphatic nodes, irrespective of surgical method.