ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To summarize and analyze the postoperative short-term complications of laparoscope-assisted transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) for rectal cancer patients after neoadjuvant therapy.@*METHODS@#A prospectively established database on taTME patients at Peking University Cancer Hospital was screened with the following conditions: data retrieval from June 2016 to August 2018, pathologically confirmed adenocarcinoma, receiving preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy. The transabdominal procedure and the transanal procedure were performed simultaneously in the taTME operation. Occurrence of complications during perioperative period (within postoperative 3 months) in these patients, especially anastomosis-related complications and their management were analyzed. The relevant complications were recorded according to the Clavien-Dindo (CD) grading criteria. The severity of anastomotic leakage and anastomotic stenosis was evaluated according to criteria developed by the International Rectal Cancer Research Group.@*RESULTS@#A total of 29 patients were enrolled in this study. In the 29 patients, 25 (86.2%) were male and 4 (13.8%) were female, the median age was 60 (range, 30 to 72) years, the median body mass index was 25.8 (range, 19.8 to 36.4) kg/m, the median distance from the tumor to anal verge was 4 (range, 2 to 8) cm. All the patients completed laparoscope-assisted taTME operations successfully without conversion to laparotomy, intra-operative severe complication or death. The median operation time was 300 (range, 198 to 405) minutes, and the median intra-operative blood loss was 100 (range, 50 to 200) ml. All the TME specimens were complete according to the Nagtegaal standard. All the patients underwent prophylactic ileostomy. Hartmann procedure was performed in one case due to poor blood supply in the proximal bowel without the possibility of anastomosis. Anal sphincter preservation rate was 96.6% (28/29). The median postoperative exhaust time was 2 (range, 1 to 10) days, and the median postoperative hospital stay was 9 (range, 7 to 24) days. Fifteen patients (51.7%) had postoperative complications, among which serious complication (CD grade IIIb and above) accounted for 6.9% (2/29). No perioperative death was observed. Five patients (17.2%) presented anastomosis-related complications, including 2 cases of grade C anastomotic leakage due to anastomotic rupture, who underwent abdominal perineal resection 1 month after operation; 2 cases of grade B anastomotic leakage, who improved after conservative treatment; 1 case of grade A anastomotic stenosis, who improved with anal expansion 1 month after operation. The incidence of postoperative infection was 24.1% (7/29), including 6 cases of pelvic infection and 1 case of trocar site infection, all of which were CD grade II. One case had incomplete intestinal obstruction (CD grade II); 1 case had gastroplegia; 1 case had abdominal trocar hernia. All the patients were followed up for a median of 12.0 (range, 3.9 to 29.9) months. Seven cases did not undergo ileal stoma closure. The anal sphincter preservation rate was 75.9% (22/29).@*CONCLUSION@#Pelvic infection and anastomosis-related complications are common after laparoscope-assisted taTME surgery for rectal cancer patients following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, which require active management and appropriate treatment.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Anal Canal , Laparoscopes , Neoadjuvant Therapy , Postoperative Complications , Rectal Neoplasms , TherapeuticsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the applicable value of transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) in male low rectal cancer patients with narrow pelvis-"difficult pelvis", which remains difficult for both open and laparoscopic sphincter-saving operations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data of male low rectal cancer patients diagnosed by pathology undergoing taTME between June 2016 and January 2018 at Peking University Cancer Hospital were collected. A retrospective cohort study was performed. Patients were selected according to the following criteria: (1) low rectal cancer, the distance between inferior margin of tumor and anal verge ≤5 cm; (2) the distance between two sciatic tubercles <5 cm; (3) body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m; (4) tumor horizontal diameter ≤4 cm. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications and anal function were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 20 patients were included in this study. All the patients received preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiation and hybrid transabdominal and transanal surgery. The median BMI was 27.7(26.2-36.4) kg/m; the median distance between two sciatic tubercles was 92.5 (78-100) mm; the median distance between the inferior margin of tumor to the anal verge was 4 (2-5) cm; the median operation time was 302 (215-402) min; the median intraoperative blood loss was 100 (50-200) ml; the median postoperative hospital stay was 9 (5-15) d. Postoperative complications occurred in 5 patients (25%), including 3 pelvic infection, 1 intestinal obstruction, 1 anastomotic leakage receiving sigmoid colostomy. There was no perioperative death. Sphincter-preservation rate was 100%. Nineteen patients received anal manometry 1 month after operation with normal resting pressure (41.5±8.6) mmHg and squeeze pressure (121.0±11.6) mmHg. All the patients were followed up to March 2018, and the median follow-up time was 4.5 months. Only 1 patient had supraclavicular lymph node metastasis and no local recurrence was found.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The safety of transanal total mesorectal excision for male patients with low rectal cancer and difficult pelvis is acceptable. TaTME is helpful to preserve the anal sphincter.</p>