In this prospective randomized trial,patients were randomized to receive mechanical bowel preparation or no preparation to assess postoperative complications and outcome following elective laparoscopic surgery for left sided colon and rectal tumors. Randomization is done from the out -patient department at the time of admission, using random numbers from a computer generated list from a sealed envelope method.
Patients who did not have mechanical bowel preparation had a normal meal on the day before the operation. Those who did were given a fluid diet, and mechanical bowel preparation with polyethylene glycol one day prior to surgery.
Both groups will have the scheduled laparoscopic colonic resections. Use of diverting stoma is left to the discretion of the operating surgeon. Cases that needed a diverting stoma, will be analyzed separately.
