Hand-assisted versus straight laparoscopy for colorectal surgery — a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE: Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) is an alternative to straight laparoscopy (LAP) in colorectal surgery. Many studies have compared the two in terms of efficacy, complications, and outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to uncover if there are any significant differences in conversion rates, operative times, body mass index (BMI), incision lengths, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and length of stay. METHODS: Comprehensive searches were performed on databases from their respective inceptions to 16 December 2021, with a manual search performed through Scopus. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, and case series involving more than 10 patients were included. RESULTS: A total of 47 studies were found fitting the inclusion criteria, with 5 RCTs, 41 cohort studies, and 1 case series. Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery was associated with lower conversion rates (odds ratio [OR] 0.41, 95%CI 0.28–0.60, p < 0.00001), shorter operative times (Mean Difference [MD] − 8.32 min, 95%CI − 14.05– − 2.59, p = 0.004), and higher BMI (MD 0.79, 95%CI 0.46–1.13, p < 0.00001), but it was also associated with longer incision lengths (MD 2.19 cm, 95%CI 1.66–2.73 cm, p < 0.00001), and higher postoperative complication rates (OR 1.15, 95%CI 1.06–1.24, p = 0.0004). Length of stay was not different in HALS as compared to Lap (MD 0.16 days, 95%CI − 0.06–0.38 days, p = 0.16, and intraoperative complications were the same between both techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Hand-assisted laparoscopy is a suitable alternative to straight laparoscopy with benefits and risks. While there are many cohort studies comparing HALS and LAP, more RCTs would be needed for a better quality of evidence. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00384-022-04272-x.