Abstract: Lateral lymph node metastasis(LLNM) is one of the main risk factors for lateral pelvic recurrence and leading poor prognosis after total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer.Lateral lymph node dissection(LLND) has been proven as effective approach to control LLNM.For a long time,LLND was mainly performed in Eastern Asian including Japan,China,and South Korea.However,in recent years,LLND has been increasingly adopted in Western countries.LLND is technique demanding with longer learning curve.Besides,heavy bleeding and pelvic plexus injury is easy to occur during the procedure and would cause high incidence of urogenital dysfunction.Up to now,LLND still lacks standard surgical approach and scope.In this review,we would summarize the current evidence of LLND in terms of surgical indication,key steps,and postoperative complication.

Key words: rectal cancer, lateral lymph node metastasis, lateral lymph node dissection, surgical indication, key technique, complication