Outcomes Of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery Research Articles

Defunctioning stoma and anastomotic stricture in rectal cancer surgery: a propensity score matching study.

In cases of rectal cancer surgery, patients at high risk of anastomotic leakage often receive a defunctioning stoma (DS). However, its role in postoperative anastomotic strictures (AS) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between DS and AS and outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) in treating rectal AS. This retrospective study was conducted from January 2019 to September 2021 and included patients who underwent rectal cancer surgery. A 1:1 ratio was used for propensity score matching (PSM). Univariate analyses were performed to identify statistically significant variables, and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the factors affecting AS. This study included 383 patients. The results of the univariate analysis suggested that surgery time (HR 4.597, 95% CI 1.563-13.525, P=0.006), postoperative anastomotic leakage (HR 11.830, 95% CI 3.773-37.094, P<0.001), and DS (HR 15.475, 95% CI 6.042-39.641, P<0.001) were significantly associated with AS. In the multivariate analysis, postoperative anastomotic leakage (HR 7.596, 95% CI 1.987-29.044, P= 0.003) and DS (HR 11.252, 95% CI 4.113-30.779, P<0.001) were identified as significant risk factors for AS. After matching, the univariate analysis revealed that postoperative anastomotic leakage (HR 8.333, 95% CI 1.541-45.052, P= 0.014) and DS (HR 9.965, 95% CI 2.200-45.142, P= 0.003) were associated with AS. The multivariate analysis indicated that postoperative anastomotic leakage (HR 14.549, 95% CI 1.765-119.913, P= 0.013) and DS (HR 12.450, 95% CI 2.418-64.108, P= 0.003) were significant risk factors for AS. This study provides evidence that DS is independently associated with AS, and postoperative anastomotic leakage increases the risk of AS. Furthermore, this study suggests that TEM could be a valuable treatment option for AS.

The outcome of local excision of large rectal polyps by transanal endoscopic microsurgery.

Local excision of large rectal polyps can be an alternative for radical rectal resection with total mesorectal excision. We aim to report the functional and oncological outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) for patients with large rectal polyps. All demographic and clinical data of patients who underwent TEM for rectal polyp of 5 cm or more at the Hasharon Hospital from 2005 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-eight patients were included. The mean age was 66 years. The mean polyp size was 6.2 cm (range: 5-8.5 cm) with a mean distance of 8.3 cm from the anal verge. Peritoneal entry during TEM was observed in five patients and additional laparoscopy after the completion of the TEM was performed in four patients. There were no major perioperative complications. Seven patients had minor complications. Final pathology revealed T1 carcinoma in five patients and T2 carcinoma in three patients. Re-TEM was performed in one patient with involved margins with adenoma. After a median follow-up of 64 months, one patient had local recurrence. TEM is an acceptable technique for the treatment of large polyps with minor complications and a reasonable recurrence rate. TEM may be considered regardless of the size of the rectal polyp.

419P Transanal endoscopic microsurgery for local regrowth after curative radio-chemotherapy for rectal cancer

Low rectal cancer staged as T2-T3 N0-N1 is currently offered abdominoperineal resection (APR) as a standard treatment, but with a significant risk of sequalae due to the extensive surgical procedure. An alternative to upfront surgery is curatively intended radiotherapy and chemotherapy, followed by observation in cases with complete clinical response (cCR). Local regrowth during follow-up may be treated with transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) and thus allowing an organ sparing option compared to extirpation. We wanted to describe the results of TEM in patients with local regrowth after cCR to radio-chemotherapy. In a phase II trial, we included patients with histopathological verified adenocarcinoma of the rectum who fulfilled criteria for APR or ultralow resection based on having a primary resectable T1-T3 N0-1 Mo category. All patients underwent 50.4 Gy/28 fractions to elective lymph node regions and 62 Gy/28 fractions as a concomitant boost to the tumour volume. Concomitant capecitabine 825 mg/m2 x 2 was given on treatment days. In the intention to treat population of 107 patients (108 included and one withdrew before any procedures) 92 patients (86.0 %, 95% CI: 78– 92) had cCR and were allocated to observation. Of 23 patients with biopsy proven local regrowth, 7 patients were referred to TEM. There were no surgical complications according to Clavien-Dindo (zero for all patients). Within a median follow-up time after TEM of 18 months (range 1 – 43 months), only one patient developed liver metastasis 10 months after TEM. The treatment was well tolerated with a low LARS score. One patient had urge symptoms within the first 30 postoperative days and one patient had urge symptoms and a low grade of proctitis at 30 months follow-up. TEM is a minimal invasive treatment modality for local regrowth after curative highdose radio-chemotherapy. There were no surgical complications and patient reported only few adverse symptoms. The rate of rectal preservation after radio-chemotherapy can be increased without impairing oncological outcome and thus treating local regrowth with TEM could be a new standard for these patients.

Long-term outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery for the treatment of rectal neuroendocrine tumors

BackgroundTransanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) has been accepted worldwide for the treatment of local rectal lesions. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of TEM in the treatment of rectal neuroendocrine tumors (RNET).MethodsA retrospective study of patients who had undergone TEM for RNET at our institution between December 2006 and June 2019 was performed. Demographic and tumor characteristics, operative and pathological details, complications, anal function questionnaires, and follow-up data were included.ResultsA total of 144 patients was included. TEM was performed as primary excision in 54 patients, after endoscopic forceps biopsy in 57 patients, and after incomplete resection by endoscopic excision in 33 patients. The median size of all primary tumors was 0.6 cm (range, 0.3–2.0 cm), and the negative resection margin was achieved in 142 (98.6%) patients. Postoperative complications (referring to only bleeding) occurred in 3 (2.1%) patients and was successfully managed with conservative method. After a median follow-up of 75.5 months after surgery, 3 patients died of other causes, and 2 patients suffered metastasis. An anal function questionnaire was posted 24 months after TEM. Among the results, 3 (2.1%) patients complained of major low anterior resection syndrome (LARS), including 1 (0.7%) who suffered from complete incontinence, while 6 (4.2%) patients had minor LARS.ConclusionsTEM has satisfying long-term outcomes and relatively low anal function disturbance as for the treatment of small RNET. TEM also acts as a preferred salvage treatment for incomplete endoscopic excision.

Transanal endoscopic rectal resection: immediate and long-term results

To analyze the results of transanal endoscopic microsurgery in patients with rectal tumors. We analyzed 87 transanal endoscopic resections of rectal benign tumors (35 patients) and rectal cancer cT1N0M0 (52 patients) for the period since 2012. There were 2 (3.8%) intraoperative intestinal wall perforations into abdominal cavity and 2 (3.8%) postoperative bleedings among patients with rectal cancer. Four (7.7%) patients developed recurrent rectal cancer (pT1N0M0 - 1 patient, pT2N0M0 - 3 patients; by tumor grades: G1 - 2 patients, G2 - 2 patients) within 1.6-5.2 years. All recurrent tumors were located on anterior rectal wall. In patients with rectal cancer, cumulative relapse-free survival was 0.923 (standard error 0.037), cumulative overall survival - 0.926 (standard error 0.043). There was 1 (4.3%) intraoperative intestinal wall perforation among patients with benign rectal tumors. Postoperative anastomotic leakage occurred in 1 (4.3%) patient. Recurrent benign tumors occurred in 2 (8.7%) patients with villous rectal tumors. No relapses were observed in patients with rectal adenomas (p=1.0). Transanal endoscopic rectal resection is effective for benign rectal tumors and rectal cancer pT1N0M0 with high relapse-free and overall survival and low complication rate. Risk factors of recurrence are tumor stage pT2N0M0, tumor location on anterior wall and distance from the anus over 10 cm.

Long-term outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery for clinical complete response after neoadjuvant treatment in T2-3 rectal cancer.

Organ sparing by the transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) procedure is a treatment for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and complete clinical response (cCR). To assess the surgical and long-term oncological outcomes of TEM for the treatment in T2-3 rectal cancer after CRT and cCR. This study was a retrospective review of a prospective database of patients with rectal cancer who underwent TEM after CRT and cCR from April 2011 to March 2020. 52 patients underwent TEM during a period of 9years. This group of patients included 27 females and 25 males. The median age was 62 (32-86) years, lesion size was 2.5 (1-4) cm, and lesion distance from the anal verge 7.3 (4-10) cm. Median operative time was 79.5 (25-120) min and hospital stay was 1day (14h-4days). Morbidity rate was 13.5% and reoperation rate due to major complications was 3.8%. Final histological findings confirmed 34 (65.4%) patients with ypT0, 7 (13.5%), 6 (11.5%), and 5 (9.6%) patients with carcinoma ypT1, ypT2, and ypT3, respectively. After a median follow-up period of 86 (5-107) months, 1 (2.4%) patient had local recurrences and 3 (7.3%) distant metastases. The 5-year disease-free survival was 91.7% and 5-year overall survival 89.5%. Our experience has shown significant rates of ypT0 and ypT1 associated with excellent long-term results. Performing TEM to treat T2-3N0 rectal cancer after CRT and cCR appears to be an oncologically safe and effective procedure.

Radiotherapy May Offer a Recurrence and Survival Benefit in Rectal Cancers Treated Surgically with Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Several studies report outcomes of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEMS) surgery in combination with radiotherapy, however the combination of those treatments is provided mostly on an adhoc individual basis and the role of radiotherapy remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of neo-adjuvant or adjuvant radiotherapy in the oncological outcomes of rectal cancer treated surgically with TEMS. We performed a systematic review of the literature on MEDLINE and Pubmed databases. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers and meta-analyzed using an inverse variance heterogeneity model to calculate overall (pooled) effect sizes for survival or recurrence of disease against neo+/-adjuvant treatment. A total of 48 studies were included in the qualitative meta-analysis which included 3,285 patients with rectal cancer. The overall survival odds ratio (OR), was 9.39 (95% CI=6.1-14.4) with a Cochran's Q variable of 151.7 on 47 degrees of freedom (d.f.) (p=0.000). Recurrence-free OR was 8.7 (95%CI=6.58-11.44) with a Cochran's Q variable of Q=145.2 on 44 d.f. (p=0.000). Studies which contained more than 10% of pT3 tumours, and provided neo+/-adjuvant treatment in more than 35% of cases, were associated with survival benefit, as demonstrated by an overall odds of survival of 32.2 (95%CI=16.3-63.5, p=0.001, Q=8.4, p=0.21). Studies that contained more than 10% of pT3 tumours and provided neo+/-adjuvant treatment in more than 20% of the cases had an overall effect size of recurrence-free odds of 20.23 (95%CI=13.84-29.57, p=0.000, Q=2.18, p=0.54). There seems to be a benefit from radiotherapy on overall survival and recurrence-free odds, which is more apparent in cohorts with more than 10% of pT3 tumours. Our results suggest that neo-adjuvant or adjuvant radiotherapy should be considered for inclusion in formal treatment protocols for rectal cancers treated with TEMS as they offer a recurrence and survival benefit.

Outcomes of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEMS) for the Management of Adenomatous and Dysplastic Rectal Lesions in a Tertiary Referral Centre

Outcomes of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEMS) for the Management of Adenomatous and Dysplastic Rectal Lesions in a Tertiary Referral Centre

Comparison of transanal endoscopic microsurgery with or without neoadjuvant therapy and standard total mesorectal excision in the treatment of clinical T2 low rectal cancer: a meta-analysis.

Some clinical trials demonstrated local resection for clinical T1 rectal cancer was safe and effective. But for clinical T2 rectal cancer, the results were controversial. Neoadjuvant therapy (NT) is proven to reduce the opportunity of advanced rectal cancer recurrence in various researches. The objective of this Meta-Analysis was to evaluate the oncological outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) with or without NT comparing with conventional total mesorectal excision (TME) for the treatment of clinical T2 rectal cancer.To search for the relevant studies, an electronic search was done from the databases of Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library in this meta-analysis. We compared the effectiveness of transanal endoscopic microsurgery with or without NT and standard total mesorectal excision in the treatment of T2 Rectal Cancer. 1RCT and 3nRCTs including 121 TEM patients (TEM + NT: 59, TEM: 62) and 174 TME patients with T2 rectal cancer were retrieved. Compared with TME, there were no significant differences in the outcomes of local recurrence, overall recurrence, overall survival between TEM + NT group. However in compassion with TME, TEM without NT was associated with an increased local recurrence, overall recurrence, and a shorter overall survival, with individual ORs being 3.04 (95% Cl: 1.17–7.90; I2 = 0%), 5.67 (95% Cl: 1.58–20.38; I2 = 0%) and 0.12 (95% Cl: 0.02–0.65; I2 = 0%), respectively. Compared with TME, TEM after NT may be a feasible and safe organ preservative approach for patients with clinical T2 low rectal cancer. But for those without NT, TEM always seem be associated with worse oncological outcomes.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery for giant circumferential rectal adenomas

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) was originally invented by Buess etal. (Chirurg, 1984, 55, 677-80) for the treatment of infraperitoneal rectal adenomas. Its indications have progressively expanded to include larger and more advanced lesions. The aim of the study was to report the results of TEM used for the treatment of circumferential rectal lesions. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 17 consecutive patients [median age 69 (32-89)years; nine men] who underwent TEM for a circumferential rectal lesion in our department between September 2010 and January 2015. The median distance from the anal verge was 4 (3-11)cm, the median longitudinal extent was 7 (3-10)cm and the median surface area was 75 (40-255)cm(2) . An end-to-end anastomosis without proximal bowel mobilization was completed endoscopically in all cases. The median operating time was 120 (40-240)min. Persistent, endoscopically uncontrollable endoluminal bleeding in one patient was successfully treated with a second TEM procedure. One patient underwent preoperative radiotherapy for adenocarcinoma detected at the preoperative assessment. Surgical histology showed a pT3 cancer in one patient who refused further surgery, a pT2 cancer in two who subsequently underwent abdominoperineal resection, a pT1 cancer in four and a ypT0 in one patient. All are at present free of disease. No patients developed faecal incontinence or urinary or sexual dysfunction. Four patients required endoscopic balloon dilatation for stenosis. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is a feasible and safe technique for large circumferential lesions with a satisfactory outcome. Preoperative staging may be inaccurate.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery as optimal option in treatment of rare rectal lesions: A single centre experience

To analyze the outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) in the treatment of rare rectal condition like mesenchymal tumors, condylomas, endometriosis and melanoma. We retrospectively reviewed a twenty-three years database. Fifty-two patients were enrolled in this study. The lesions were considered suitable for TEM if they were within 20 cm from the anus. All of them underwent an accurate preoperative workup consisting in clinical examination, total colonoscopy with biopsies, endoscopic ultrasonography, and pelvic computerized tomography or pelvic magnetic resonance imaging. Operative time, intraoperative complications, rate of conversion, tumor size, postoperative morbidity, mortality, the length of hospital stay, local and distant recurrence were analyzed. Among the 1328 patients treated by TEM in our department, the 52 patients with rectal abnormalities other than adenoma or adenocarcinoma represented 4.4%. There were 30 males (57.7%) and 22 females (42.3%). Mean age was 55 years (median = 60, range = 24-78). This series included 14 (26.9%) gastrointestinal stromal tumors, 21 neuroendocrine tumors (40.4%), 1 ganglioneuroma (1.9%), 2 solitary ulcers in the rectum (3.8%), 6 cases of rectal endometriosis (11.5%), 6 cases of rectal condylomatosis (11.5%) and 2 rectal melanomas (3.8%). Mean lesion diameter was 2.7 cm (median: 4, range: 0.4-8). Mean distance from the anal verge was 9.5 cm (median: 10, range: 4-15). One patient operated for rectal melanoma developed distant metastases and died two years after the operation. We experienced 2 local recurrences (3.8%) with an overall survival equal to 97.6% (95%CI: 95%-99%) at the end of follow-up and a disease free survival of 98% (95%CI: 96%-99%). We could conclude that TEM is an important therapeutical option for rectal rare conditions.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery

To analyze the immediate and remote results of transanal endoscopic microsurgical intervantions and its role in treatment of rectal tumors. The results of transanal endoscopic microsurgery in 56 patients with rectal tumors were studied. Adenoma and adenocarcinoma were observed in 45 (80%) and 11 (20%) patients respectively. Mean height of tumor lower edge placement was 8.6 ± 0.3 cm from anus, mean diameter - 3.7 ± 0.3 cm. All patients underwent full-layer resection of rectum. Postoperative complications were observed in 4 (7%) patients. There were no deaths. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is modern, adequate and effective treatment of benign and early forms of malignant rectal tumors. It is associated with lower incidence of complications and recurrence under condition of careful selection of patients. Based on obtained results we recommend surgeons to apply this technique only in case of tumor placement below 10-11 cm from anus and tumor's diameter up to 3-4 cm to minimize risk of complications and recurrences. Full-layer resection of rectum is recommended in all cases of operations for benign tumors because of there is high risk of latent malignancy.

Complications of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery Are Rare and Minor

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery, a minimally invasive procedure for treatment of early-stage rectal cancer, carcinoid tumors, and adenomas, is shown to be a safe procedure with very low perioperative morbidity. We aimed to compare the outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery at a large volume tertiary care center with the existing literature. We retrospectively reviewed a prospectively collected database of 325 transanal endoscopic microsurgery procedures and looked for risk factors associated with complications. Indications for transanal endoscopic microsurgery included rectal adenocarcinomas, adenomas, and carcinoids. Procedures were performed by a single surgeon at a large-volume tertiary care center. Patients were enrolled over a 20-year period, and data were collected on demographics, perioperative details, tumor characteristics, and complications. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery was performed on all 325 patients. Main outcome measures were urinary retention, late bleeding requiring intervention, dehiscence, peritoneal cavity entry, conversion to abdominal approach, fecal soiling, and rectovaginal fistula. Intraoperative bleeding was associated with larger tumor size, whereas postoperative bleeding requiring intervention was not associated with any factors studied. Peritoneal cavity entry and urinary retention were more likely if the tumor was in either the anterior or lateral position in the rectum. The peritoneal cavity was entered in 9 patients, and conversion to abdominal approach occurred in 1 patient. Intraoperative bleeding, by surgeon's choice, and urinary retention, by patient's choice, were associated with a greater likelihood of admission to the inpatient ward. Fecal soiling was not reported by patients and not recorded. This study was limited because it was a retrospective analysis Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is an extremely safe procedure, offering very low perioperative morbidity. The overall morbidity found in our study was 10.5%, on par with published data for large series of 21%, 7.7%, and 14.9%. In contrast, complications from radical resection are reported at 18% to 55%.

Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery in Small, Large, and Giant Rectal Adenomas

OBJECTIVE To assess the outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery in small (&lt;3 cm), large (3-5 cm), and giant (&gt;5 cm) lesions and compare these with reports of alternative techniques. DESIGN Data from January 1998 to February 2010 were prospectively collected. Lesions were divided into 3 groups according to the maximum diameter (group A, &lt;3 cm; group B, 3-5 cm; and group C, &gt;5 cm) and outcomes were analyzed separately. SETTING Colorectal unit in a single-district general hospital. PATIENTS Patients diagnosed as having benign rectal adenomas. INTERVENTION Transanal endoscopic microsurgery excision. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Completion of excision (R0), en bloc and full-thickness excisions, complication and local recurrence rates, and disease-free survival. RESULTS A total of 320 lesions were analyzed. Overall en bloc and full-thickness excision rates were 99% and 80.7%, respectively. In the 279 benign lesions, the R0 rate was 90.3%. Outcomes for groups A, B, and C were, respectively: 9.3%, 12.8%, and 14.4% incidence of unexpected malignancy (P=.64); 95.9%, 92.2%, and 85.1% R0 resection for benign lesions (P=.19); and 7.4%, 14.9%, and 24.6% complication rates (P&lt;.05). Overall operative mortality was 1 of 320 (0.3%). In group C, there was a higher estimated recurrence rate, therefore a lower disease-free survival than groups A and B; this difference was significant 40 months after surgery. Recurrences were associated with closeness to dentate line and advanced age (univariate analysis) and R1 resection (Cox regression). CONCLUSIONS Outcomes of transanal endoscopic microsurgery on large rectal lesions compared favorably with literature reports of alternative techniques. Postoperative complications and recurrences increased significantly with lesions larger than 5 cm.

Indications and Results of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery in the Treatment of Rectal Tumours in a Consecutive Series of 52 Patients

IntroductionThe abdominal approach for the treatment of rectal tumours is associated with considerable morbidity. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is a technical alternative, and less invasive than radical surgery, and thus, with a lower associated morbidity. Also, with the correct selection of patients, TEM shows similar oncological results to radical surgery. The objective of this study is to review our results with TEM and discuss its indications in the treatment of rectal tumours. Patients and methodAn observational, retrospective study with prospective collection of data conducted from July 2008 to January 2011. TEM indications were: benign rectal tumours non-resectable using colonoscopy; early malignant rectal tumours (T1N0M0) with good prognostic factors: neoplastic tumours in more advanced stages in selected patients (high surgical risk, refused radical surgery or stoma and palliative care). ResultsA resection was performed using TEM on 52 patients (35 benign and 17 malignant tumours). The mean hospital stay was 4.9 days, with an associated morbidity of 15.3%. The R0 resection in adenomas and carcinomas was 97.1% and 88.8%, respectively. During a follow-up of 15 (3–31) months, one recurrence of an adenoma was observed which was re-operated on using TEM. ConclusionsTEM is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of benign and selected early malignant rectal tumours, and is associated with a low morbidity. However, it is a therapeutic strategy based on a multidisciplinary team, basically with careful selection of patients, a validated technique and a strict follow-up protocol.

Outcomes of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery for T1 and T2 rectal cancer

Aim-Background The objective was to evaluate Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery as a surgical strategy for stage I rectal cancer and its associated perioperative morbidity and oncologic outcomes.

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is superior to transanal excision of rectal adenomas

Comparison of transanal excision (TE) and transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) of rectal adenomas (RA) has rarely been performed. From 1990 to 2007, the results of TE (43 RA) and TEM (216 RA) were compared. Rectal adenomas were matched for diameter and distance from the anal verge. Operation time was 47.5 min for TE and 35 min for TEM (P < 0.001). Morbidity was 10% after TE and 5.3% after TEM (P < 0.001). Negative resection margins were observed in 50% after TE and 88% after TEM (P < 0.001). Fragmentation of the excised specimen was observed in 23.8% after TE and 1.4% after TEM (P < 0.001). In cases of fragmentation, positive resection margins were observed more frequently. Recurrence was 28.7% after TE and 6.1% after TEM (P < 0.001). After TE, RA with a negative resection margin had a local recurrence rate of 0%, compared with 59.6% with a positive margin (P < 0.001), and after TEM these rates were 3.2 and 7.7% (P = 0.3), respectively. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is superior to transanal excision of RA.

Functional and Clinical Results of Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery Combined with Endoscopic Posterior Mesorectum Resection for the Treatment of Patients with T1 Rectal Cancer

Rectum-sparing transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is a well-established treatment for T1 carcinomas of the rectum. However, it is associated with an increased rate of local recurrence compared with extended resection. In most cases, this failure is linked to the presence of clinically nondetectable metastases in the regional lymph nodes. Endoscopic posterior mesorectal resection (EPMR) makes it possible to remove the relevant lymphatic drainage of the lower third of the rectum in the minimally invasive way, which can help with adequate tumor staging. The study evaluated the influence of combined TEM and EPMR treatment on the anorectal functions of this group of patients. Six consecutive patients (3 women and 3 men; mean age, 71.3 years) with T1 cancer of the rectum were operated on using TEM in combination with EPMR as a two-stage procedure between 2007 and 2009. After a median follow-up of 19 (range, 8-30) months, none of our patients complained of symptoms of incontinence during the postoperative period apart from one woman with gas incontinence, who was diagnosed preoperatively. There was no statistically significant difference in BAP, SAP, HPZL, or in fecal continence control assessed using the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index before and 1, 3, and 6 months after the procedure. We observed one case of intraoperative complication (perforation) and one case of minor postoperative complication (hematoma formation). There was no evidence of locoregional recurrence. EPMR in combination with TEM seems to be safe, feasible, and with no impact on the basic anorectal functions.

Local excision of early rectal cancer: is transanal endoscopic microsurgery an alternative to radical surgery?

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) allows locally complete excision of rectal neoplasms and provides an alternative to conventional surgery for benign tumours. However, its role in the curative treatment of invasive carcinoma is controversial. This paper examines the results of TEM compared with radical surgery (RS) for T1 rectal cancer. 51 patients with T1 rectal tumours treated by RS, or local excision by means of TEM were included. The following parameters were evaluated: operating time, blood loss, hospital stay and complications, as well as local recurrence rate and survival. 17 patients were treated by RS and 34 by TEM. Operative time, blood loss, and duration of hospitalization were significantly lower in the TEM group compared with the RS group. In the RS group there were 4 patients with complications which required an operative revision (23.5%), compared to 1 reintervention (2.9%) in the TEM group. Local recurrence was 5.88% (n = 2) in the TEM group compared with none after RS (p = 0.547). The overall survival and disease-free survival showed not significant statistical differences between both groups (p = 0.59; p = 1.000, resp.). Although local recurrence was only observed after local excision, patients treated with TEM showed no significant differences in terms of overall survival and disease-free survival compared with patients who underwent RS. Inasmuch as local excision represents a minimally invasive technique in terms of morbidity, mortality and functional outcome, TEM should be offered as a valid option for well selected patients with early rectal cancer.

Rectal adenocarcinoma and transanal endoscopic microsurgery. Diagnostic challenges, indications and short term results in 142 consecutive patients

The objective of this study was to present short-term results of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) of rectal adenocarcinomas registered in a national database. A Danish TEM group was established in 1995. The group organized a database for prospective and consecutive registration of all TEM procedures. The perioperative course of all rectal cancers treated with TEM and registered in this database is analysed. One hundred forty-two patients had TEM for rectal cancer. In 43%of the patients, the cancer diagnosis was not recognized before TEM. Eighty-five percent of all tumors were classified as benign based on macroscopic appearance; on digital rectal examination, 35% were benign, rectal ultrasound classified 15% as benign, and the preoperative biopsy was benign in 36%. Forty-three cancers (29%) were classified as low risk cancers. High ages were an indication for TEM in 22% and concurrent disease in 21%. Minor complications were encountered in 39 cases, major complications in 4 cases, and 1 patient died within 30 days. All larger rectal tumors should be evaluated for malignancy before treatment, even if TEM is the only surgical option, due to high age and comorbidiy. Rectal ultrasound appears to produce the fewest false negative results, but it should be combined with biopsies and clinical evaluation. Multiple biopsies may be beneficial in the case of larger adenomas. When resecting large sessile tumors, there is a considerable risk of incomplete radicality. The short term mortality and morbidity of TEM is low even in old patients with comorbidiy.