Table 1.
Characteristics and reported oncological outcomes of included studies
| Year | Authors | Study design | Operations | n (R vs L) | TME complete | CRM negative | Distal margin | Proximal margin | LN harvest | DFS | CSS | OS | Other endpoints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Baik et al26 | Prospective, comparative, nonrandomized | LAR | 56 vs 57 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | Postoperative complications, operation time, hemoglobin change, time to flatus passage, time to soft diet, LOS, conversion to open, recurrence |
| 2009 | Patriti et al36 | Prospective, comparative, nonrandomized | PME, TME, APR, CAA | 29 vs 37 | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Operation time, EBL, conversion to open, hospital stay, 30-day morbidity, long-term morbidity | |
| 2010 | Park et al38 | Case-matched cohort | TME (LAR, CAA, APR) | 41 vs 82 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | Operation time, conversion to open, time to flatus passage, time to regular diet, LOS, postoperative mortality, postoperative morbidity |
| 2011 | Kwak et al39 | Case-matched cohort | TME (LAR, CAA, APR) | 59 vs 59 | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — | — | Operation time, conversion to open, postoperative morbidity, operative mortality, recurrence |
| 2013 | D’Annibale et al34 | Prospective, comparative, nonrandomized | TME | 50 vs 50 | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — | — | Operation time, conversion to open, postoperative complications, anastomotic leak, oral reintake, LOS, IPSS, IIEF |
| 2015 | Cho et al31 | Case-matched cohort | LAR, CAA | 278 vs 278 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Conversion to open, operation time, EBL, LOS, time to flatus passage, time to liquid diet, time to soft diet, postoperative complications, postoperative mortality, late complications |
| 2015 | Park et al37 | Case-matched cohort | ISR-CAA | 106 vs 106 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | Operation time, EBL, conversion to open, protective stoma, time to diet, LOS, stoma-free at last follow-up, postoperative mortality, postoperative morbidity, LN positivity, local recurrence |
| 2016 | Kim et al16 | Case-matched cohort | NA-CRT: LAR, Hartmann, APR | 33 vs 66 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | EBL, conversion to open, operation time, time to flatus passage, LOS, postoperative morbidity, reoperation |
| 2017 | Huang et al17 | Case-matched cohort | NA-CRT: LAR, ultra-low, ISR-CAA | 40 vs 38 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | Operation time, EBL, postoperative complications, time to flatus passage, time to soft diet, LOS |
| 2017 | Jayne et al13 | Randomized clinical trial | HAR, LAR, APR | 235 vs 224 | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | Conversion to open, intraoperative complications, early postoperative complications, late postoperative complications, 30-day mortality |
| 2017 | Kim et al32 | Case-matched cohort | AR, LAR, APR | 224 vs 224 | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — | — | Operation time, conversion to open, diverting stoma, postoperative morbidity, postoperative mortality, LOS |
| Case-matched cohort for 5-year follow-up | 196 vs 192 | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| 2017 | Lim et al18 | Prospective, comparative, nonrandomized | NA-CRT: LAR, ISR, CAA, APR | 74 vs 64 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | Operation time, conversion to open, recurrence |
| 2017 | Valverde et al27 | Prospective, comparative, nonrandomized | Sphincter-sparing | 65 vs 65 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — | Operation time, diverting ostomy, EBL, drainage, conversion to open, reoperation, morbidity, LOS, mortality |
| 2018 | Crolla et al33 | Prospective, comparative, nonrandomized | AR, LAR, APR | 168 vs 184 | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | Operation time, LOS, conversion to open, SSI, anastomotic leak, mortality, other |
| 2018 | Kim et al14 | Randomized controlled trial | LAR, APR, Hartmann | 66 vs 73 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | GOALS, return of bowel function, morbidity, postoperative pain scores, QOL |
| 2018 | Panteleimonitis et al40 | Case-matched cohort | HAR, LAR, APR, Hartmann | 63 vs 61 | — | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | Operation time, EBL, conversion to open, LOS, 30-day readmission, 30-day reoperation, 30-day mortality, anastomotic leak |
| 2019 | Garfinkle et al15 | Cohort–propensity score analysis | LAR, APR | 154 vs 213 | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — | — | Operation time, conversion, postoperative morbidity and mortality, LOS, hospital readmission |
APR = abdominoperineal resection; AR = anterior resection; CAA = coloanal anastomosis; CRM = circumferential resection margin; CSS = cancer-specific survival; DFS = disease-free survival; EBL = estimated blood loss; GOALS: global operative assessment of laparoscopic skills; HAR = high anterior resection; IIEF = International Index of Erectile Function; IPSS = International Prostate Symptoms Score; ISR = intersphincteric resection; L = laparoscopic; LAR = low anterior resection; LN = lymph node; LOS = hospital length of stay; NA-CRT = neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy; OS = overall survival; PME = partial mesorectal excision; QOL = quality of life; R = robotic; SSI = surgical site infection; TME = total mesorectal excision.