Current research status on pelvic autonomic nerve monitoring in rectal cancer surgery / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract, and surgery is the main treatment strategy. Disorders of bowel, anorectal and urogenital function remain common problems after total mesorectal resection (TME), which seriously decreases the quality of life of patients. Surgical nerve damage is one of the main causes of the complications, while TME with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation is an effective way to reduce the occurrence of adverse outcomes. Intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) is a promising method to assist the surgeon to identify and protect the pelvic autonomic nerves. Nevertheless, the monitoring methods and technical standards vary, and the clinical use of IONM is still limited. This review aims to summarize the researches on IONM in rectal and pelvic surgery. The electrical nerve stimulation technique and different methods of IONM in rectal cancer surgery are introduced. Also, the authors discuss the limitations of current researches, including methodological disunity and lack of equipment, then prospect the future direction in this field.

Perirectal fascial anatomy and pelvic autonomic nerve preservation during the transanal total mesorectal excision / 中华胃肠外科杂志

The difficulty of transanal total mesorectal excision (TME) is to find the correct dissection plane of perirectal space. As a complex new surgical procedure, the fascial anatomic landmarks of transanal approach operation are more likely to be ignored. It is often found that dissection plane is false after the secondary injury occurs during the operation, which results in the damage of pelvic autonomic nerves. Meanwhile, the mesorectum is easily damaged if the dissection plane is too close to the rectum. Thus, the safety of oncologic outcomes could be limited by difficulty achieving adequate TME quality. The promotion and development of the theory of perirectal fascial anatomy provides a new thought for researchers to design a precise approach for transanal endoscopic surgery. Transanal total mesorectal excision based on fascial anatomy offers a solution to identify the transanal anatomic landmarks precisely and achieves pelvic autonomic nerve preservation. In this paper, the authors focus on the surgical experience of transanal total mesorectal excision based on the theory of perirectal fascial anatomy, and discuss the feature of perirectal fascial anatomy dissection and technique of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation during transanal approach operation.

Anatomy research on Denonvilliers fascia and its significance in nerve-preservation rectal cancer surgery / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Urinary and sexual dysfunctions due to intraoperative pelvic autonomic nerve injury have become the most common complications of rectal cancer surgery, seriously affecting postoperative quality of life. How to protect the nerve and urogenital function while ensuring radical resection for rectal cancer has become the focus of research. We previously carried out a series of systematic studies on Denonvilliers fascia, an important anatomical structure closely related to protection of pelvic autonomic nerve, and demonstrated the importance of Denonvilliers fascia in preservation of intraoperative pelvic autonomic nerve and protection of postoperative urogenital function from aspects of anatomy, physiology, tissue, operation practice and so on. Meanwhile, based on the interim results of our multicenter randomized controlled study, we confirmed that total mesorectal excision with preservation of Denonvilliers fascia (innovative TME, iTME) could effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative urinary and sexual dysfunctions in male patients with mid-low rectal cancer, without sacrificing oncologic outcome. In this article, combined with our research results, we review the literature on anatomy research progress of Denonvilliers fascia to demonstrate the significance and research prospect of Denonvilliers fascia in the pelvic autonomic nerve preservation surgery for rectal cancer.

Efficiency analysis on functional protection of nerve plane-oriented laparoscopic total mesorectal excision / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective@#Using previous total mesorectal excision with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation (PANP+TME) and simple total mesorectal excision (TME) without emphasis on retained nerves as control, we explore the advantages of nerve plane-oriented laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (NPO+LTME) on urinary and sexual function.@*Methods@#A retrospective cohort study was carried out. Case inclusion criteria: (1) male patients with pathologically confirmed middle and low rectal adenocarcinoma (4 to 11 cm from the anus); (2) stage T1-2tumor; (3) normal sexual life before operation. Exclusion criteria: (1) no pathological diagnosis before surgery; (2) local recurrence or distant metastasis; (3) preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy; (4) opensurgery and laparoscopic surgery conversionto open; (5) no follow-up data. According to the above criteria, clinical data of 173 male patients with low and middle rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent radical operation for laparoscopic rectal cancer from July 2003 to July 2018 at the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Wuhan University People′s Hospital were collected. According to different surgical methods, patients were divided into TME group (58 cases), PANP+TME group (63 cases) and NPO+LTME group (52 cases). There were no significant differences in the baseline data including age, body mass index and pathological examination between the 3 groups (all P>0.05). The nerve plane referred to the nerve, the adipose tissue, the extremely finecapillaries around the nerve with overlying fine membranous tissue. NPO+LTME referred to the process of laparoscopic TME guided by the nerve plane, performing in the loose connective tissue between the nerve plane and the rectal properfascia, in order to ensure the integrity of the nerve plane, and maximally protect the patient's urinary and reproductive functions. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, urinary catheter removal time, urinary function grading, postoperative first erection time, and erectile function and ejaculation function were observed and compared among the 3 groups at 3- and 6-month after operation.@*Results@#In the NPO+LTME group, the PANP+TME group and the TME group, the operation time was (181.9±24.5) minutes, (176.7±29.2) minutes and (137.7±16.2) minutes, respectively (F=54.868, P<0.001); the intraoperative blood lost was (6.0±1.4) ml, (6.5±1.8) ml and (12.8±4.6) ml, respectively (F=95.016, P<0.001); the time to postoperative removal of the catheter was (2.4±1.1) days, (3.7 ±1.7) days and (6.5±2.4) days, respectively (F=79.409, P<0.001); the first postoperative erection time was (1.6±0.6) days, (8.9±2.7) days and (15.9±6.8) days (F=177.677, P<0.001), respectively, whose differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.01). In comparison of urinary function grading, the proportion of grade I (normal function, no urinary dysfunction) in the NPO+LTME, the ANP+TME group and the TME group was 84.1% (53/63), 39.7% (23/58) and 19.2% (10/52), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (H=52.915, P<0.001). At postoperative 3- and 6-month, proportion of patients with grade I erectile function (normal erectile function) was 77.8% (49/63) and 85.7% (54/63), 44.8% (26/58) and 53.4% (31/58), 28.8% (15/52) and 48.1% (25/52) in the NPO+LTME group, the PANP+TME group, and the TME group, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (H=91.709, P<0.001; H=79.692, P<0.001). The proportion of patients with grade I ejaculation function (with ejaculation, no abnormalities in routine semen examination before and after surgery) at 3- and 6-month after surgery in the NPO+LTME group, the PANP+TME group and the TME group was 82.5% (52/63) and 87.3% (55/63), 53.4% (31/58) and 60.3% (35/58), 28.8% (15/52) and 46.1% (24/52), respectively. The differences were statistically significant as well (H=86.543, P<0.001; H=78.667, P<0.001). Patients in the NPO+LTME group had no grade III erections and ejaculation disorders.@*Conclusion@#The surgical procedure of NPO+LTME can promote the recovery of postoperative neurological function and preserve urination and sexual function better.

Laparoscopic type C1 hysterectomy based on the anatomic landmark of the uterus deep vein and its branches for cervical cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective@#To introduce the laparoscopic type C1 hysterectomy based on the anatomic landmark of the uterus deep vein and its branched and to evaluate its feasibility and safety for cervical cancer and its effect to bladder function and to provide some reference to simplify the surgical procedures of laparoscopic type C1 hysterectomy.@*Methods@#The clinicopathologic data of the patients with stage ⅠA2~ⅡB cervical cancer and who underwent the laparoscopic C1 hysterectomy based on anatomic landmark of the uterus deep vein and its branches between March 2010 and December 2015 was retrospectively analysed.@*Results@#A total of 99 patients received laparoscopic type C1 hysterectomy based on the anatomic landmark of the uterus deep vein and its branches, in which 93 patients reserved unilateral or bilateral pelvic autonomic nerve successfully, the other 6 patients were transfered to receive type C2 hysterectomy due to adhesions, bleeding or the low possibility of curative resection. The failure rate of the surgery was 6.1% (6/99). The average age of these 93 patients was 44.4±8.2 years (range 25~61 years) and there was one case of stage ⅠA2, 84 stage ⅠB1, 2 stage ⅠB2, 5 stage ⅡA1 and 1 stage ⅡB. The number of patients with squamous cell carcinoma was 67, adenocarcinoma was 19, adenosquamous carcinoma was 3, small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma was 3 and mixed type was 1. The average operation time was 4.1±0.5 h, the average amount of intraoperative blood loss was 103.8±84.0 ml and the mean number of excisional pelvic lymph nodes was 29.7±8.9. There was no patient with positive parametrial margin, positive vaginal margin or intraoperative ureteral injury. The postoperative catheter extraction time was 20.3±8.4 d. The median follow-up time was 20 months (rang 5~44 months), the long-term bladder dysfunction rate was 8.6% (8/93). The numbers of locally uncontrolled and distantly metastasis case were both one and both patients died. The fatality rate were 2.2% (2/93). The two-year disease-free survival and overall survival rate were 97.6% and 96.2%, respectively.@*Conclusion@#Laparoscopic type C1 hysterectomy based on the anatomic landmark of the uterus deep vein and its branches is a safe and feasible treatment method for cervical cancer and it provides a new approach for simplifying the surgical procedures of laparoscopic type C1 hysterectomy.

Long-term effects of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation on anorectal function after radical hysterecto-my / 中国综合临床

Objective To investigate the long?term effect of nerve?spring radical hysterectomy( NSRH) on anorectal function after radical hysterectomy. Methods Fifty?six cases of uterine cervical carcinoma patients who met the criteria were selected for the study and were randomly divided into RH group and NSRH group. Defecation functional and anorectal manometry were compared at 1 year after surgery. Results There were 2 patients were excluded both in the two groups, and 26 cases were included in the follow up of each group. Compared with RH group, NSRH group had a lower constipation and chronic diarrhea incidence ( 2 (7. 7%),8(30. 8%);1(3. 8%),6(23. 1%);χ2=4. 457,4. 127P<0. 05),a better self?evaluation bowel func?tion(no significant change:10(38. 5%),5(19. 2%);poor:7(26. 9%),3(11. 5%);very poor:9(34. 6%),18 (69. 2%);χ2=6. 267,P=0. 044;P<0. 05),a higher level of maximal anal squeeze pressure((132. 7±43. 6) mmHg,(119. 5±45. 3) mmHg;t=2. 116,P<0. 05),a lower level of threshold perception of distension((38. 6 ±10. 5) mmHg,(45. 8±12. 4) mmHg;t=2. 326,P<0. 05) and threshold perception of evacuative stimulus ((78. 3±33. 2) mmHg,(90. 6±40. 9) mmHg;t=2. 208,P<0. 05). Conclusion RH may cause more serious long?term anorectal dysfunction,while NSRH help to protect defecation function.

Male sexual function after laparosco-pic and laparotomye section in patients with lower rectal cancer / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of laparoscopic and open resection with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation (PANP) on sexual function of male patients with lower rectal cancer. Methods Total 177 male patients with lower rectal cancer received surgery from September 2008 to December 2013 were enrolled into two groups: the laparoscopic PANP group (n = 105) and the open PANP group (n = 72). The classifications of erectile and ejaculatory functions were used to evaluate the sexual functions of patients at 6 months and 12 months post-operation, respectively. The effect of different operation on the sexual function of the male patients was compared between the two groups. Results The incidence rates of erectile dysfunction at 6 months and 12 months post-operation in the laparoscopic group were lower than those in the laparotomy group (P < 0.05). The incidence rates of ejaculatory dysfunction at 6 months and 12 months post-operation in the laparoscopic group were also lower than those in the laparotomy group (P < 0.05). Conclusion The laparoscopic resection with PANP in patients with lower rectal cancer can not only clearly reveal pelvic autonomic nerve and effectively protect them, but also reduce the incidence of postoperative sexual dysfunction.

Topohistology of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers in branches of the pelvic plexus: an immunohistochemical study using donated elderly cadavers / 대한해부학회지

Although the pelvic autonomic plexus may be considered a mixture of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, little information on its composite fibers is available. Using 10 donated elderly cadavers, we investigated in detail the topohistology of nerve fibers in the posterior part of the periprostatic region in males and the infero-anterior part of the paracolpium in females. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were used as parasympathetic nerve markers, and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was used as a marker of sympathetic nerves. In the region examined, nNOS-positive nerves (containing nNOS-positive fibers) were consistently predominant numerically. All fibers positive for these markers appeared to be thin, unmyelinated fibers. Accordingly, the pelvic plexus branches were classified into 5 types: triple-positive mixed nerves (nNOS+, VIP+, TH+, thick myelinated fibers + or -); double-positive mixed nerves (nNOS+, VIP-, TH+, thick myelinated fibers + or -); nerves in arterial walls (nNOS-, VIP+, TH+, thick myelinated fibers-); non-parasympathetic nerves (nNOS-, VIP-, TH+, thick myelinated fibers + or -); (although rare) pure sensory nerve candidates (nNOS-, VIP-, TH-, thick myelinated fibers+). Triple-positive nerves were 5-6 times more numerous in the paracolpium than in the periprostatic region. Usually, the parasympathetic nerve fibers did not occupy a specific site in a nerve, and were intermingled with sympathetic fibers. This morphology might be the result of an "incidentally" adopted nerve fiber route, rather than a target-specific pathway.

Clinical study of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation in curative excision of male patients with rectal cancer / 中国综合临床

Objective To evaluate the effects of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation (PANP) during the radical resection of rectal carcinoma on the sexual and urinary function of male patients.Methods The sexual and urinary dysfunction rates from 45 male patients who undergone PANP and 45 control patients who did not undergo PANP during radical resection of rectal carcinoma were analyzed.Results In the PANP group,the incidences of erectile dysfunction,ejaculatory dysfunction and urinary dysfunction were 26.67％,24.44％ and 28.89％,respectively.But in control group,the above three rates were 57.78％,60.00％ and 62.22％ in order.The rates of these three dysfunctions significantly were different between the two groups ( x2 =8.92,11.66,10.08,P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusion PANP during radical resection of rectal carcinoma could reduce the post-operative sexual dysfunction and urinary dysfunction.

Effect of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation for urinary function and sexual dysfunction after resection of rectal cancer in male patients / 中国综合临床

Objective To investigate the effect of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation (PANP) for urinary function and sexual dysfunction after total mesorectal excision (TME) of rectal cancer in male patients. Methods A total of 147 patients, hospitalized from March 2009 to March 2010,were enrolled into this study and received TME plus PANP combination treatment. The clinical data of these cases were analyzed retrospectively. Results There were no operative deaths. The 0. 5 - 1.0 years follow-up data showed that 9 cases (6. 12% ) had voiding dysfunction, 11 cases (7.48%) had sexual dysfunction, 12 cases ( 8.16% ) had local recurrence. Conclusion TME plus PANP combination treatment can improve the urinary and sexual function,without increasing the postoperative local recurrence rate.

Impact of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation on urination and potency in total mesorectal excision / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective To study the effect of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation(PANP)on urination and sexual function in total mesorectal excision(TME). Methods Two hundred and forty cases of male rectal cancer patients,divided into the PANP who accept the pelvic autonomic nerve preservation in TME,and the control group of 120 patients who do not.The urination and sexual function were observed and compared.3-year-survival rate,local recurrence rates of the two groups were recorded. Results The urinary disorder rates,erective disorder rates and ejaculation disorder rates of PANP group were 30.8%,28.3%and 34.2%,while values of control group were 55.0%、60.0%and 62.5%.The difference between them had statistical significance(P<0.05).The 3-year-survival rate and local recurrence rate of PANP group were 9.4%and 75.0%.The 3-year-survival rate and local recurrence rate of control group were 9.0%and 65.0%.There was no significant difference between them(P>0.05). Conclusion The PANP technique in TME could improve the urinary and sexual function of male patients without affect the prognosis.

Effects of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation on urinary and sexual functions in postoperative patients with radical resection for rectal cancer / 中国综合临床

Objective To evaluate the effects of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation(PANP) on urinary and sexual functions in postoperative patients with radical resection for rectal cancer.Methods The radical resection of rectal cancer was carried out in 256 cases of patients with rectal cancer in our hospital from January 2002 to August 2008.Patients were divided into study group (n=156) with PANP and control group (n=100) without PANP.The preserved functions of automatic micturition,male erection,ejaculation,the change of female orgasm,and local recurrence of tumor were observed in the two groups.Results The preserved functions of urination,male erection,ejaculation and female sexual orgasm in study group were significantly stronger than those in control group (P<0.01),and there Was no significant difference of local recurrence of tumors between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusions The radical operation with PANP for rectal cancer can improve postoperative micturition and sexual function,and this method does not increase local tumor recurrence after operation.

Modalities of pelvic autonomic nerve-sparing surgery in pelvis-gynecology / 中国癌症杂志

Bladder function is controlled by the hypogastric nerves (sympathetic) and pelvic splanchnic nerves (parasympathetic) , and these two nerve fibers intermingle to form the pelvic plexus. Pelvic surgery was one of the important modalities being used in pelvis-gynecology, but it was commonly found that the modality could cause bladder dysfunction because of its damage to the pelvic plexus. Pelvis-gynecologic surgeries like Pive Ⅱ-Ⅳ radical hysterectomy (RH), total vaginectomy, Hartman, Dixon, and posterior pelvic exenteration are among the most important causes of urinary dysfunction. Recently, urinary dysfunction has become the major issue for patients undergoing pelvic surgery in terms of quality-of-life. Pelvic autonomic nerve-sparing (PANS) protects postsurgical bladder function in radical RH and other pelvic surgery. The review tried to discuss different types of PANS being used in variety of pelvis-gynecologic surgery. Type Ⅰ PANS can be performed in Piver Ⅱ RH in patients with endometrioid cancer, and urinary catheter will be removed 3 days after operation. Type Ⅱ PANS is used in Piver Ⅲ RH, and the catheter can be successfully removed 7 days after surgery. Sometimes, type Ⅲ PANS is administered in one-side tumor-free cardinal ligament resection, and the patients will retain their catheter for 3 weeks postoperatively. Type Ⅱ or type Ⅲ PANS may be used in total vaginectomy, Hartman, Dixon, and posterior pelvic exenteration.

Assessment of Sexual and Voiding Function after Total Mesorectal Excision with Pelvic Autonomic Nerve Preservation in Male Rectal Cancer Patients

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the safety of TME with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation in male rectal cancer patients in terms of voiding and sexual function. METHODS: We performed uroflowmetry using Urodyn (Dantec, Denmark) and a standard questionnaire employing the IIEF (International Index of Erectile Function) and the IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) pre- and postoperatively in 68 male rectal cancer patients. RESULTS: There were significant differences of mean maximal flow rate and voided volume before and after surgery (18.9+/-5.7 vs 13.7+/-7.0, 240+/-91.9 vs 143+/-78, P0.05). The total IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) was increased after surgery from 6.2+/-5.8 to 9.8+/-5.9 (P<0.05). There were no changes of score for one of each seven IPSS items in from 49 patients (73.5 percent) to 61 patients (89.7 percent). Five IIEF (International Index of Erectile Function) domain score (erectile function, intercourse satisfaction, orgasmic function, sexual desire and overall satisfaction) was statistically decreased after surgery (18.2+/-9.3 vs 13.5+/-9.0, 8.4+/-4.2 vs. 4.4+/-2.9, 5.8+/-2.9, vs. 4.4+/-2.9, 6.1+/-2.4 vs. 4.8+/-2.0, 6.1+/-2.2 vs. 4.5+/-2.3, P<0.05, respectively. Erection was possible in 55 patients (80.9 percent), but penetration ability was possible in 51 patients (75 percent). Complete inability for erection and intercourse was observed in 3 patients (5.5 percent). Retrograde ejaculation was noted in 9 patients (13.2 percent). IIEF domains such as sexual desire and overall satisfaction were markedly decreased in 39 patients (57.4 percent), 43 patients (63.2 percent), respectively. Multiple regression analysis of factors affecting postoperative sexual dysfunction showed that over 60 years (sexual desire: P=0.019), within 6 months (erectile function: P=0.04, intercourse satisfaction: P=0.011, orgasmic function: P=0.03), lower rectal cancer (erectile function: P=0.02, intercourse satisfaction: P=0.036, orgasmic function: P=0.027) were significant factors. CONCLUSIONS: TME with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation technique showed a safety and comparable data in preserving sexual and voiding function. The IPSS and IIEF questionnaire were useful and more investigative in assessing urinary and sexual function.