Review of nomenclature in colonic surgery - Proposal of a standardised nomenclature based on mesocolic anatomy

The standardisation of the surgical management of rectal cancer has been facilitated by adoption of an anatomic surgical nomenclature. Thus, " total mesorectal excision" substituted " anterior resection" or " proctosigmoidectomy" and implies resection of both rectum and mesorectum. Similar trends towards standardisation of colonic surgery are ongoing, yet there remains a heterogeneity of terminology utilised (eg, " right hemicolectomy" , " ileocolic resection" , and " total mesocolic excision" ). Recent descriptions of mesocolic anatomy provide an opportunity to standardise colonic resection according to a more precise and informative anatomic nomenclature. This article aims to firstly emphasise the central importance of the mesocolon and from this propose a related nomenclature for resectional colonic surgery. Introduction of a standardised nomenclature for colonic resection is a necessary step towards standardisation of colonic surgery in general.