Transperineal abdominoperineal resection synchronously assisted by laparoscopic approach for low rectal cancer directly invading the posterior wall of the vagina

Trans-anal Minimally Invasive Surgery Combined With a Robotic Anterior Approach for Sleeve Resection of a Huge Rectal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Due to anatomical complexity, large rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in the pelvis at the anterior aspect often require extended abdominal surgery to obtain clear surgical margins. Here, we show our trans-anal minimally invasive surgery combined with a robotic anterior approach for a huge low rectal GIST that was widely in contact with the prostate and urethra. By performing lateral dissection first, we can identify the orientation of critical organs such as the prostate, urethra, and neurovascular bundles, facilitating anterior anorectal dissection without urethral injury. Although the combination with a transabdominal robotic approach was required because of firm inflammatory adhesion between the tumor and prostate, the preceding trans-anal dissection plane facilitated the robotic anterior dissection and contributed to achieving complete dissection with negative resection margins.

Transanal total mesorectal excision for abdominoperineal resection is associated with poor oncological outcomes in rectal cancer patients: A word of caution from a multicentric Canadian cohort study

AIM

The main objective of this study was to compare the oncological outcomes of patients undergoing abdominoperineal resection (APR) versus low anterior resection (LAR) through a transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) approach.

METHOD

A total of 360 adult patients with a diagnosis of rectal cancer were enrolled at participating centres from the Canadian taTME Expert Collaboration. Forty-three patients received taTME-APR and received 317 taTME-LAR. Demographic, operative, pathological and follow-up data were collected and merged into a single database. Results are presented as hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval. All analyses were performed in the R environment (v.3.6).

RESULTS

The proportion of patients with a positive circumferential radial margin status was higher in the taTME-APR group than the taTME-LAR group (21% vs. 9%, p = 0.001). Complete TME was achieved in 91% of those undergoing APR compared with 96% of those undergoing LAR (p = 0.25). APR was associated with a greater rate of local recurrence relative to LAR, although it was not significant [crude HR = 3.53 (95% CI 0.92-13.53)]. Circumferential margin positivity was significantly associated with a higher rate of systemic recurrence [crude HR = 3.59 (95% CI 1.38-9.3)].

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate inferior outcomes in those undergoing taTME-APR compared with taTME-LAR. The use of this technique for this particular indication needs to be carefully considered.

Avoiding urethral and rectal injury during transperineal abdominoperineal resection in male patients with anorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

In abdominoperineal resection (APR) in male patients with rectal cancer, high margin involvement and urethral injury have been reported to result from difficulty in dissecting the anterior anorectum. Recently, the efficacy of an endoscopic down-to-up rectal dissection was reported. Here, we present a safe and simple technique for anterior dissection using a simultaneous laparoscopic and transperineal endoscopic approach.

METHODS

We perform transperineal APR (TpAPR) using both the laparoscopic and transperineal approach (a 2-team approach). Anterior dissection commences just behind the superficial transverse perineal muscle. Next, the striated muscle complex surrounding the rectum (levator ani and puborectalis muscle) is divided. At this point, it is difficult to identify the dissection plane between the membranous urethra and anterior rectum; thus, dissection along the lateral aspect of neurovascular bundle from the lateral to anterior side with the assistance of the laparoscopic team is helpful in identifying the posterior surface of the prostate. Once the prostate is identified, it is relatively easy to divide the rectourethralis muscles. The key steps of our procedure are shown in the video.

RESULTS

Between April 2016 and July 2019, we performed 14 TpAPR procedures in male patients with rectal cancer without distant metastasis. Extended surgery was performed in 8 patients, including pelvic sidewall dissection and combined resection of adjacent organs. Median operative time was 453 min and median blood loss was 46 g. There was 1 (7.1%) circumferential-positive case, but no cases of urethral injury or rectal perforation.

CONCLUSIONS

The 2-team TpAPR procedure is beneficial for appropriate dissection of the anterior side during APR surgery.