Can the quality of colonic surgery be improved by standardisation of surgical technique with complete mesorectal excision?

Aim:  we analysed the influence of standardisation of colon cancer surgery with complete mesocolic excision (CME) on the quality of surgery measured by the pathological endpoints of number of harvested lymph nodes, high tie of supplying vessels, plane of mesocolic resection and rate of R0 resection. Method:  198 patients with colonic carcinoma who underwent radical surgery between September 2007 and February 2009 were divided into two groups,including those undergoing surgery before (93) or after (105) 1 June 2008, when complete mesocolic excision (CME) was introduced as standard in our hospital. Results:  The overall mean high tie increased from 7.1 (CI 6.5-7.6) to 9.6 (8.9-10.3) cm (p