Rectal Reconstruction after Total Mesorectumectomy: Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life

Abstract

Background. The study aims to compare the functional outcomes and quality of life in patients having variant rectal reconstruction procedures after low anterior resection for cancer.Materials and methods. A prospective randomised controlled trial enrolled 90 patients who underwent total mesorectumectomy with formation of J-pouch (J-P), side-to-end (STE) or end-to-end (ETE) anastomoses.Results and discussion. We analysed 22 J-P, 30 STE and 38 ETE patients. For technical reasons, 26.6 % J-Ps were remodelled to other anastomoses. The neorectal sensory threshold, first and permanent defecation urges and maximal tolerated volume were higher in J-P at months 3–6–12 postoperatively.Severe low anterior resection syndrome events at post-surgery month 6 were significantly more frequent in the ETE vs. J-P and STE cohorts (21, 0 and 3.3 %, respectively, p < 0.05). Stool frequency was significantly lower in J-P vs. STE and ETE at months 3–6–12. Wexner score was 3, 5, 6 at month 6 (p < 0.05) and 0, 1, 1 at month 12 for J-P, STE and ETE, respectively (p > 0.05). Evacuatory dysfunction was present at month 6 in 59.1 J-P, 33.3 STE and 21.1 % ETE.Quality of life (FIQL) in J-P and STE was significantly higher vs. ETE anastomoses in the Lifestyle (3.21, 3.22 and 3.03, respectively, p < 0.05) and Coping (3.29, 3.21 and 2.95, respectively, p < 0.05) scales to month 12 postoperatively.Conclusion. The J-pouch formation after low anterior resection ameliorates anal continence at months 3–6 post-surgery, reduces low anterior resection syndrome and improves quality of life (FIQL). The ease of implementation and irrelevance of evacuatory dysfunction in side-to-end anastomosis make it a superior choice over end-to-end surgery.