Safe laparoscopic colorectal surgery performed by trainees

Laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer is safe, but there have been hesitations to implement the technique in all departments. One of the reasons for this may be suboptimal learning possibilities since supervised trainees have not been allowed to do the operations to an adequate extent for the technique to spread. We routinely plan all operations as laparoscopic procedures and most cases are done by supervised trainees. The present study therefore presents the results of operations performed by trainees compared with results obtained by experienced laparoscopic surgeons.