Papillary adenomas of the colon and rectum: a twelve-year review

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery: the first 50 cases

BACKGROUND

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is a form of minimally invasive rectal surgery first used at Cabrini Hospital in April 1997. This paper presents a prospective analysis of the first 50 cases with a median follow up of 33 months (range 20-48 months).

METHODS

Prospective data was obtained from all cases between April 1997 and June 2000.

RESULTS

Forty-nine patients (30 men and 19 women) underwent 50 procedures. Thirty-six had benign lesions and 14 malignant. The mean distance of the lower edge of the lesion from the anal verge was 8.7 cm. Three cases were converted to traditional transanal or transabdominal operations. Full-thickness excision was performed on 26 patients and the rectal wound was closed in 13 cases. The mean duration of transanal endoscopic microsurgery was 67 min (range 20-175), with a mean blood loss of 24 mL (0-300). The mean diameter and area of the fixed specimen was 3.7 cm (1.5-9.8) and 11.4 cm2 (0.8-18.9), respectively. Complications included postoperative fever (3), urinary retention (1) and per rectum bleeding (1). There was one death. The mean length of stay was 4 days. Histology confirmed complete excision in 39 (78%) cases and there have been two instances of local recurrence of adenoma (5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is an effective, safe and cost-beneficial procedure for local excision of selected lesions in the middle and upper thirds of the rectum.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery: experience with 75 rectal neoplasms

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to describe a single institution's experience with transanal endoscopic microsurgery in patients with benign and malignant rectal tumors.

PATIENTS

Between January 1992 and April 1998, 75 patients with a mean follow up of 38 months, underwent transanal endoscopic microsurgery excision of benign (46) or malignant (29) rectal tumors, located 3 to 18 cm from the dentate line.

RESULTS

A total of 3 of 46 (6.5 percent) patients with benign tumors underwent conversion to radical surgery owing to tumor size. During the follow-up period, benign tumor recurrence was observed in four (9 percent) patients, three of whom were managed by repeat transanal endoscopic microsurgery, whereas one required radical surgery. Histologic staging of malignant tumors was T1 (10), T2 (10), and T3 (9). Seven patients with either inadequate resection margins or T3 tumors were complimented with radical surgery. Of the remaining 22 patients, 11 received adjuvant radiation therapy whereas 11 had no further treatment. Four (18 percent) had recurrent disease, which was managed by repeat transanal endoscopic microsurgery in two, radical surgery in one, and laser ablation in one. No cancer-related deaths were observed during the follow-up period. There was one operative mortality in a cardiac-crippled patient. Postoperative complications were mainly of a minor character and included fever, urinary retention, and bleeding; none of which required reintervention. Rectourethral fistula developed in one patient who underwent repeat transanal endoscopic microsurgery excision for a T3 malignancy. Fecal soiling was transient in three patients and persisted in two.

CONCLUSION

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery excision is a safe and precise technique that is well tolerated even in high operative risk patients. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery may become a procedure of choice for benign rectal tumors and selected early malignant neoplasms.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery

Traditional methods of excising adenomas and selected carcinomas of the distal rectum provide adequate exposure and acceptable cure rates. Recurrence rates after locally excising adenomas, however, are 12% to 25%, possibly because the limited exposure has led to less than adequate resection margins. Whether or not TEM can yield lower recurrence rates remains to be seen, but this perhaps is not the main reason one should include TEM in his or her armamentarium. Rather, it is the improved exposure, the superior optics, and the opportunity to address lesions in the upper rectum that set TEM apart from conventional instrumentation. One should also keep in mind that these "inaccessible" lesions have been treated heretofore with either a transsacral or transabdominal approach, both of which are accompanied by a lengthy hospital stay and potential morbidity. When considering TEM excision of rectal cancers, proper patient selection cannot be overemphasized. Endorectal ultrasonography can help to determine depth of penetration preoperatively, and TEM can be used with curative intent for those lesions with minimal involvement of the rectal wall. TEM can also be used as a means to palliate the primary tumor of those patients with incurable, disseminated disease. Minimal-access surgery is here to stay. TEM may gain acceptance in this arena, marking a new technology for the treatment of a number of rectal conditions. The considerable skill necessary to perform this operation, combined with the relatively infrequent nature of the pathology addressed, however, will make TEM the domain of only a few surgeons.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) has emerged as a minimally invasive means of resecting rectal tumors. Developed in Germany and now being used with increasing frequency in the United States, TEM utilizes a 40-mm operating rectoscope, which is sealed with an airtight facepiece. Carbon dioxide is constantly infused, thereby distending the rectum and maintaining visibility. A variety of instruments, such as tissue graspers, a high-frequency knife, suction, and needle holders, are inserted through the facepiece. Adenomas that are small, large, or even circumferential, as well as selected carcinomas up to 24 cm, can be removed with TEM instrumentation. The optics provide sixfold magnification, and this, combined with the constantly distended operative field, allows for a precise excision of the tumor as well as closure of the wound. For lesions in the mid and upper rectum, TEM is an alternative to a transsacral or transabdominal approach, with subsequently shorter hospital stay and fewer complications.

Villous tumors of the colon and rectum: double-contrast study of 47 cases

The radiological features of 47 villous tumors of the large bowel found in 39 patients by the double-contrast barium enema were studied. An attempt was made to determine the radiological indicators of malignancy and two features proved to be suspicious: large tumor size and indentation of tumoral base. This retrospective study emphasizes the advantages of the double-contrast technique in the detection of colonic villous tumors.

Villous adenoma of the rectum: a rare tumor in childhood

Villous adenoma of the rectum in a 14-yr-old boy is described, and the clinical features, pathology, and surgical treatment of this condition are reviewed. This appears to be the first reported case in childhood.

Villous adenoma with hyponatremia and syncope: report of a case

A case of villous adenoma of the colon with hyponatremia, hypovolemia, and syncope is presented. The correct diagnosis was delayed because of the prevailing idea that villous adenomas are associated with hypokalemia. The patient recovered fully after surgical removal of one of the largest villous adenomas reported in the literature. Sodium loss may be the dominant feature of this syndrome. Villous adenoma has to be included among the causes of hyponatremia.