Abstract
Total mesorectal excision (TME) represents the gold standard for radical resection in rectal cancer. The development in radiology and laparoscopic surgical equipment and the advancement in technology have led to a deepened understanding of the mesorectum and its surrounding structures. Both the accuracy of preoperative staging and the preciseness of the planes of TME surgical dissection have been enhanced. The postoperative local recurrence rate is reduced and the long-term survival of rectal cancer patients is improved. The preservation of the pelvic autonomic nervous system maintains the patient's urinary and sexual functions to the greatest extent possible, which in turn improves the patient's postoperative quality of life. A thorough understanding of the anatomy of the mesorectum and its surrounding structures is a prerequisite for successful TME. Herein, we review the basic concepts and the anatomy of the mesorectum in the current literature. Some important clinical issues are also discussed systematically in terms of imaging, surgery, and pathology.
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