The anatomy of pelvic autonomic nerves and experience on preserving autonomous nerves during surgery of rectal cancer / 中国普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the anatomy of pelvic autonomic nerves, to avoid autonomic nerves damage during rectal cancer surgery. MethodsAnatomical dissections were carried out on 7 adult cadavers, and clinically autonomic nerve-preserving rectal cancer resection was performed. Results The superior hypogastric plexus lies just posterior to the inferior mesenteric vessels. There were no obvious autonomic nerve trunks in the loose areolar tissue plane between the parietal fascia and the visceral fascia right posterior to the rectum. There were no obvious autonomic nerve trunks between the rectum and the seminal vesicles or the prostate. The inferior hypogastric plexus was a rhomboid shaped plaque of nervous tissue. The main components of the lateral ligament were autonomic nerves passing from the pelvic plexus to the rectum within a condensation of connective tissue. WT5”HZConclusionsThe inferior mesenteric vessels can be used a landmark intraoperatively to identify the superior hypogastric plexus. In order to preserve the inferior hypogastric plexus while dissecting the lateral of rectum, we should dissect along the medial surface of the inferior hypogastric plexus, and along its curvature. JP2