Escisión total del mesorrecto por vía transanal

A systematic review of transanal total mesorectal excision: is this the future of rectal cancer surgery?

AIM

The surgical technique used for transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) was reviewed including the oncological quality of resection and the peri-operative outcome.

METHOD

A literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Science Citation Index Expanded and Cochrane was performed in order to identify studies reporting on TaTME.

RESULTS

Thirty-six studies (eight case reports, 24 case series and four comparative studies) were identified, reporting 510 patients who underwent TaTME. The mean age ranged from 43 to 80 years and the mean body mass index from 21.7 to 31.8 kg/m(2) . The mean distance of the tumour from the anal verge ranged from 4 to 9.7 cm. The mean operation time ranged from 143 to 450 min and mean operative blood loss from 22 to 225 ml. The ratio of hand-sewn coloanal to stapled anastomoses performed was 2:1. One death was reported and the peri-operative morbidity rate was 35%. The anastomotic leakage rate was 6.1% and the reoperation rate was 3.7%. The mean hospital stay ranged from 4.3 to 16.6 days. The mesorectal excision was described as complete in 88% cases, nearly complete in 6% and incomplete in 6%. The circumferential resection margin was negative in 95% of cases and the distal resection margin was negative in 99.7%.

CONCLUSION

TaTME is a feasible and reproducible technique, with good quality of oncological resection. Standardization of the technique is required with formal training. Clear indications for this procedure need to be defined and its safety further assessed in future trials.

Hybrid NOTES: TEO for transanal total mesorectal excision: intracorporeal resection and anastomosis

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic surgery for rectal TME achieves better patient recovery, lower morbidity, and shorter hospital stay than open surgery. However, in laparoscopic rectal surgery, the overall conversion rate is nearly 20%. Transanal TME combined with laparoscopy, known as Hybrid NOTES, is a less invasive procedure that provides adequate solutions to some of the limitations of rectal laparoscopy. Transanal TME via TEO with technical variants (intracorporeal resection and anastomosis, TEO review of the anastomosis) attempts to standardize and simplify the procedure.

METHOD

Prospective observational study was used describe and assess the technique in terms of conversion to open surgery, overall morbidity, surgical site infection and hospital stay. The sample comprised consecutive patients diagnosed with rectal tumor less than 10 cm from the anal verge who were candidates for low anterior resection using TME (except T4). Demographic, surgical, postoperative, and pathological variables were analyzed, as well as morbidity rates.

RESULTS

From September 2012 to August 2014, 32 patients were included. The conversion rate was 0%. Overall morbidity was 31.3%, SSI rate was 9.4%, and mean hospital stay was 8 days. Oncological radical criteria were achieved with pathological parameters of 94% of complete TME and a median circumferential margin of 13 mm.

CONCLUSION

The introduction of technical variants of TEO for transanal resection can facilitate a procedure that requires extensive experience in transanal and laparoscopic surgery. Studies of sphincter function, quality of life, and long-term oncological outcome are now necessary.