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.