Mechanisms to Reduce Incidence of Tumor Implantaton During Minimal Access Procedures for Colon Cancer.

Implantation of tumor during minimal access procedures such as laparoscopic colectomy is a disturbing phenomenon. Although the actual incidence of this problem is unknown, its existence is a threat to the further clinical development of minimally invasive oncological procedures. We have adopted the hypothesis that these recurrences are the result of suboptimal technique or instrumentation and therefore that the problem can be avoided by identifying and correcting these technical factors. Our purpose is to analyze the possible mechanisms by which tumor cells become implanted in the trocar sites and to propose rational solutions to the problem.