Endoscopic laser therapy of advanced rectal tumors a retrospective study at Monklands Hospital

ABSTRACT

This retrospective study reported the results of endoscopic laser treatment for rectal tumors at Monklands Hospital. Ten patients were included in the study, the indications for laser therapy were either tumor-related [locally or distally advanced], patient-related or a combination of both, where definitive surgery had no benefit over laser at the time of referral. The aim of therapy was to alleviate the patients local symptoms. Nd YAG laser was used. The overall success rate was 90%, a failure occurred in one patient and there were no procedure-related complications or deaths, where four patients were still alive at the time of data collection