Laparoscopic Abdominoperineal Excision with High Transection of the Inferior Mesenteric Artery

Abstract

Excision of the rectum has been increasingly superseded by sphincter-preserving operations. Early rectal cancer also can be curatively treated by rectum-preserving transanal disc excision. Although there are still considerable oncologic objections to the introduction of laparoscopic operative procedures in colorectal carcinoma, the use of laparoscopic abdominoperineal excision for carcinoma of the lower rectum may be the first to be widely accepted in selected cases.