Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Resection of Tailgut Cysts

Tailgut Cyst-Gynecologist's Pitfall: Literature Review and Case Report

Background and Clinical Significance: Retrorectal cystic hamartomas ("Tailgut cysts") are rare developmental cysts that appear in the retrorectal space, arising from aberrant remnants of the post-anal primitive gut in case of an incomplete embryogenetic involution. Case Presentation: We present the case of a 30-year-old woman with a history of chronic lower abdominal pain. Other digestive symptoms, like rectal fullness, constipation, pain on defecation, rectal bleeding or genitourinary obstruction symptoms, were not associated. During a period of 3 years, she underwent several surgical procedures for ovarian cysts, without relieving the symptomatology. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a presacral tumor with a right pararectal development. A surgical resection of the lesion using an anterior approach was performed, with the final pathological diagnosis of a retrorectal cystic hamartoma ("tailgut cyst"). Conclusions: This case underlines the fact that retrorectal masses can be challenging to diagnose, and tailgut cysts must be taken into consideration in cases of perirectal tumors in patients with a history of multiple failed procedures and surgeries.

Laparoscopic Excision of a Tailgut Cyst With Refractory Pain: A Case Report

Tailgut cysts (TGCs) are rare congenital lesions located in the retrorectal space, often remaining asymptomatic and incidentally discovered. However, when symptomatic, they can cause significant discomfort and may require surgical intervention. We report a case of a 40-year-old female who presented with persistent and severe coccygeal pain that significantly impaired her quality of life. Imaging studies revealed a cystic mass consistent with a TGC. Conservative management, including pain control and physical therapy, was ineffective, leading to the decision to surgical treatment. The patient underwent successful laparoscopic excision of the cyst, resulting in complete resolution of symptoms without postoperative complications or recurrence. This case underscores the importance of considering TGCs in the differential diagnosis of chronic coccygeal pain and demonstrates that laparoscopic surgery is a safe and effective treatment option when conservative approaches fail.

Risk factors for rectal perforation during presacral cyst removal: a comparison between transabdominal, perineal, and combined surgical approaches

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors associated with rectal perforation during various surgical interventions for presacral cysts.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 73 participants from 2013 to 2023 who met the inclusion criteria. Participants underwent surgical treatments through transabdominal, perineal, or combined approaches. Preoperative assessments of presacral cysts were performed using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Biannual postoperative follow-ups involved ultrasound, CT, or MRI scans. Data analysis was conducted using RStudio software.

RESULTS

The incidence of rectal perforation did not differ significantly across surgical approaches [combined 2 (18%) vs. perineal 3 (8.8%) vs. transabdominal 4 (14%), P = 0.7]. Cyst capsule rupture was more frequent in the transabdominal and combined approaches [17 (61%) and 5 (45%), respectively] versus perineal approach [8 (24%), P = 0.011]. The laparoscopic subgroup experienced a higher rate of cyst rupture compared to the robotic subgroup, with rectum perforation cases only correlating with ruptures in the robotic subgroup. Intraoperative complications prompted conversions to open surgery in the laparoscopic group, unlike in the robotic group. Postoperative follow-up revealed no mortalities, with malignant transformation observed in two cases and local recurrences in three. While univariate analysis did not identify significant predictors of rectal wall perforation, multivariate analysis suggested that the risk of perforation increased with cyst rupture and decreased when the cyst was located further from the anal verge.

CONCLUSIONS

The study identifies two primary risk factors for rectal wall perforation: the cyst capsule integrity and the cyst-rectum shortest distance, with the latter being accurately determined by MRI. These findings may inform further surgical planning and risk assessment.

Analysis of the clinicopathological features of tailgut cyst with emphasis on the development of neoplastic lesions

Tailgut cyst is a rare congenital cyst occurring in the retrorectal space and development of neoplastic lesions in tailgut cyst has been reported. Due to the rarity of the tumor, the histogenesis of neoplastic lesions in tailgut cyst has remained elusive. In the present study, the clinicopathological features of tailgut cyst were analyzed with a particular focus on the development of neoplastic lesions. The clinicopathological features of four patients with tailgut cyst (one female and three males) were retrospectively reviewed. No symptoms were present in two patients. Perineal discomfort, and constipation and urinary retention, were described in the other two patients, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the cystic lesions were hypointense on T1- and hyperintense on T2-weigted images in all patients. Histopathological analysis revealed that all lesions were multilocular, and cystic walls were covered by squamous and ciliated epithelia without nuclear atypia. The development of neoplastic lesions was noted in two patients. Dysplastic change composed of piling-up proliferation of glandular cells with mild to moderate nuclear atypia was present in one patient, and invasive adenocarcinoma with a dysplasia component was observed in another patient. Dysplasia of the glandular cells, as seen in two patients in the present series, may be a precursor lesion of invasive adenocarcinoma; therefore, adenocarcinoma arsing in tailgut cyst may show a dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. While the reported incidence of neoplastic lesions in tailgut cysts is ~9% or less, their frequency remains to be accurately determined. Therefore, complete surgical resection is important for the management of patients with tailgut cyst. Additional clinicopathological and molecular studies with large cohorts may be required to clarify the histogenesis of neoplastic lesion in tailgut cyst.

Presacral tumors: A systematic review of literature

Presacral/Retrorectal tumors (RRT) are rare lesions that comprise a multitude of histological types. Data on surgical management are limited to case reports and small case series. The aim of the study was to provide a comprehensive review of the epidemiology, pathological subtypes, surgical approaches, and clinical outcomes. A PubMed search using terms "retrorectal tumor" and "presacral tumor" was used to identify articles reporting RRT of non-urological, non-gynecologic, and non-metastatic origin. Articles included were between 2015 and 2023. A total of 68 studies were included, comprising 570 patients. About 68.2% of patients were female, and the mean overall age of both sexes was 48.6 years. Based on histopathology, 466 patients (81.8%) had benign lesions, and 104 (18.2%) were malignant. In terms of surgical approach, 191 (33.5%) were treated anteriorly, 240 (42.1%) through a posterior approach, and 66 (11.6%) combined. The mean length of stay was 7.6 days. Patients treated using the posterior approach had a shorter length of stay (5.7 days) compared to the anterior and combined approaches. RRT are rare tumors of congenital nature with prevalence among the female sex. R0 resection is crucial in its management, and minimal access surgery appears to be a safer option in appropriate case selection.

Robotic resection of presacral tumors

BACKGROUND

Presacral tumors are a rare entity typically treated with an open surgical approach. A limited number of minimally invasive resections have been described. The aim of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of roboticresection of presacral tumors.

METHODS

This is a retrospective single system analysis, conducted at a quaternary referral academic healthcare system, and included all patients who underwent a robotic excision of a presacral tumor between 2015 and 2023. Outcomes of interest were operative time, estimated blood loss, complications, length of stay, margin status, and recurrence rates.

RESULTS

Sixteen patients (11 females and 5 males) were included. The median age of the cohort was 51 years (range 25-69 years). The median operative time was 197 min (range 98-802 min). The median estimated blood loss was 40 ml, ranging from 0 to 1800 ml, with one patient experiencing conversion to open surgery after uncontrolled hemorrhage. Urinary retention was the only postoperative complication that occurred in three patients (19%) and was solved within 30 days in all cases. The median length of stay was one day (range 1-6 days). The median follow-up was 6.7 months (range 1-110 months). All tumors were excised with appropriate margins, but one benign and one malignant tumor recurred (12.5%). Ten tumors were classified as congenital (one was malignant), two were mesenchymal (both malignant), and five were miscellaneous (one malignant).

CONCLUSIONS

Robotic resection of select presacral pathology is feasible and safe. Further studies must be conducted to determine complication rates, outcomes, and long-term safety profiles.

Surgical Management of Presacral Tumors: Report of 5 Cases With Video Vignette of Laparoscopic Removal

BACKGROUND

Cystic tumors in the presacral space represent a rare pathology. In case of symptoms, but particularly due to the danger of malignant degeneration, surgical removal is indicated. Due to the complex position in the pelvis with its proximity to important anatomic structures, the choice of the surgical approach is decisive.

METHODS

To present an overview of the recent knowledge of presacral tumors, a PubMed-based literature review was performed. Subsequently, we present 5 cases where different surgical strategies were evaluated including a video of a laparoscopic removal.

RESULTS

Presacral tumors can be of different histopathologic origins. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice, with open abdominal, open abdominoperineal, and posterior accesses available, as well as minimally invasive techniques.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic resection of presacral tumors is a well-suitable option, but the decision must always be made individually.

Retrorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from a tailgut cyst: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Tailgut cysts are defined as congenital cysts that develop in the rectosacral space from the residue of the primitive tail. As a congenital disease, caudal cysts are very rare, and their canceration is even rarer, which makes the disease prone to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. We describe a case of caudal cyst with adenocarcinogenesis and summarize in detail the characteristics of cases with analytical value reported since 1990.

CASE SUMMARY

A 35-year-old woman found a mass in her lower abdomen 2 mo ago. She was asymptomatic at that time and was not treated because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Two weeks ago, the patient developed abdominal distension and right waist discomfort and came to our hospital. Except for the high level of serum carcinoembryonic antigen, the medical history and laboratory tests were not remarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-defined, slightly lobulated cystic-solid mass with a straight diameter of approximately 10 cm × 9 cm in the presacral space, slightly high signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging, and moderate signal intensity on T1-weighted imaging. The mass was completely removed by laparoscopic surgery. Histopathological examination showed that the lesion was an intestinal mucinous adenocarcinoma, and the multidisciplinary team decided to implement postoperative chemotherapy. The patient recovered well, the tumor marker levels returned to normal, and tumor-free survival has been achieved thus far.

CONCLUSION

The case and literature summary can help clinicians and researchers develop appropriate examination and therapeutic methods for diagnosis and treatment of this rare disease.

Robotic abdominal resection of tailgut cysts - A technical note with step-by-step description

AIM

Here, we describe a step-by-step standardized technique for tailgut cyst resection using a single-docking robotic approach.

METHOD

Each step of the technique is illustrated using a composite collection of four operative patient videos to demonstrate the advantages and feasibility of this technique. The robot platform utilised is Da Vinci Xi.

RESULTS

Five female patients have undergone this operation in our unit. The size of tumours ranged from 12 to 45 mm. Median operating time was 100 min (range 90-150). Mean blood loss in all the patients was less than 50 ml. There were no major intraoperative complications. One patient had a postoperative presacral collection which required radiological drainage. Length of stay in all patients was one day.

CONCLUSIONS

This technique using a single-docking robotic approach appears safe and feasible. The robotic approach results in improved dexterity and more accurate dissection, better retraction and excellent vision which improves the ease of operating in the pelvis. Therefore, this approach can be replicated for use in a wide variety of patients with tailgut cysts.