Surgical steps for standard laparoscopic low anterior resection.

Once considered an incurable disease, the continuous evolution of technologies and techniques has improved both oncological outcomes and quality of life for patients with rectal cancer. Multiport laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer is the standard of care in many institutions and countries and is the approach that has been most subjected to controlled trial. Following a number of randomized trials as well as large series and registry reports and several Cochrane reviews, there is no evidence of any oncological disadvantage to laparoscopic surgery compared with the open approach and there is good evidence of improved short-term outcomes and some evidence of improved long-term outcomes. We describe the "standard" approach to multiport, laparoscopic low anterior resection.