Abstract:OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of left colonic artery (LCA) preservation and high root division of inferior mesenteric artery(IMA) on postoperative complications and prognosis in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection of rectal cancer. METHODS From January 2016 to January 2019, the clinical data of 80 patients with rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic radical resection in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. According to the surgical procedures, observation group (n=36,low ligation with LCA preservation) and control group(n=44,high ligation without LCA preservation). The perioperative status, postoperative pathological conditions and incidence rates of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. At 12 months of follow-up, the postoperative recurrence and metastasis were recorded. RESULTS There were no significant differences in the perioperative status,postoperative pathological conditions(P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of anastomotic leakage, anastomotic bleeding, anastomotic stenosis, pulmonary infection, urinary tract infection ,low anterior resection syndrome recurrence and metastasis rates and mortality rate in observation group compared with those in control group (P>0.05), and Observation group had lower thetotal incidence rate of postoperative complications(P<0.05). CONCLUSION LCA preservation and IMA high ligation have similar prognosis of patients with laparoscopic radical resection of rectal cancer, but the former one is beneficial to reduce the risk of postoperative complications.