Prevention and treatment of accidents during laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection of rectal cancer        LIU Qian，ZHAO Fu-qiang. Department of Colorectal Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
Corresponding author:LIU Qian,E-mail：fcwpumch@163.com
Abstract    The debate on lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) of rectal cancer has reached some consensus recently. For patients with rectal cancer who still have lateral lymph node metastasis after preoperative neoadjuvant therapy, LLND has become a priority-recommended treatment. The operation area of LLND of rectal cancer is narrow, and the distribution of blood vessels and nerves is dense. The safety of surgery has always been the focus of surgeons. Through an in-depth understanding of the anatomical proximity of the important structures of the rectum, reasonable use of a high-definition display system and operating system, and reasonable surgical approach and operation plane, the risk of operation and occurrence of accidents will be significantly reduced, the safety of surgery, long-term and short-term prognosis of patients with lateral lymph node metastasis of rectal cancer will be improved.