A comparison of colonoscopy - assisted transanal minimally invasive surgery via glove port and endoscopic submucosal dissection in the treatment of early rectal tumors / 中华胃肠外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To explore the safety and feasibility of colonoscopy - assisted transanal minimally invasive surgery via glove port (CA-TAMIS-GP) in the treatment of early rectal tumors.@*Methods@#A total of 67 patients evaluated as early rectal tumors (adenoma limited within mucosal layer) with diameter ≤4.0 cm at Department of Anal-Colorectal Surgery, Hangzhou Third People′s Hospital from July 2013 to March 2017 were prospectively enrolled in the study. Benign tumors were diagnosed by preoperative imaging in all the patients with the distance to anal edge of 4 to 20 cm. Patients were randomly divided into treatment group and the control group according to the random number table. The treatment group (n=32) underwent CA-TAMIS-GP, including 19 males and 13 females with mean age of (55.6±11.2) years and mean tumor size of (3.3±0.4) cm, while the control group (n=35) underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD, control group), including 20 males and 15 females with mean age of (52.9±12.3) years and mean tumor size of (3.4±0.5) cm. Differences of baseline data between two groups were not significant (all P>0.05). The specific method of CA-TAMIS-GP was as follows a surgical rubber glove sleeve (No.6) was passed through the anal device; the glove was fixed at the anvil device; after fully expanding the anus, the anal sac was placed into the anus with the fingers outside; then, the cuff and the anal sac were sutured and fixed to the perianal; a well-tight glove path was established; the ultrasonic scalpel, grasper and the colonoscopy lens connected to the host platform and the electric negative pressure suction were inserted into the three finger sleeves respectively and fixed by rubber band or silk thread; the laparoscopic instruments such as the grasper and the ultrasonic scalpel were used for pulling, grasping, cutting, electrocoagulation, suturing and other operations to complete the resection of rectal lesions. Efficacy, postoperative complication and operative cost, etc. between two groups were compared using the student′s t test, chi-square tests, and Fisher′s exact test.@*Results@#Operations of two groups were completed successfully without conversion to laparotomy. Histopathologic examination showed all specimens had negative margins with the surgical resection of the layer to the submucosa, and showed no significant differences between two groups (P>0.05). Compared to the control group, the operation time was shorter [(49.5±14.6) minutes vs.(66.1±17.6) minutes, t=-4.235, P<0.001], and the intraoperative hemorrhage was less [(4.2±1.6) ml vs. (6.2±2.1) ml, t=-4.349, P<0.001] in the treatment group with significant differences. In the treatment group, 6 patients had mild anal pain or discomfort after operation, and 1 patient in the control group showed anal foreign body sensation. The difference was statistically significant [18.8% (6/32) vs. 2.9% (1/35), P=0.048]. The incidence of postoperative hematochezia in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group [9.4% (3/32) vs. 20.0% (7/35), P=0.310] without significant difference. The cost of consumables in the treatment group was (1586.9±204.4) yuan, which was lower than (7694.4±1123.2) yuan in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (t=-30.880, P<0.001). All the patients were followed up for 6 to 36 months after operation, and no recurrence or long-term complication occurred in the treatment group, while 1 case developed local recurrence in the control group.@*Conclusion@#CA-TAMIS-GP is a safe and effective method for early rectal tumors with simple and economical characteristics, which broadens the application of colonoscopy.