Rectal Resection Research Articles

Pelvic Floor Peritoneum Closure Reduces Severe Postoperative Complications in Rectal Cancer Patients After Laparoscopic Anterior Rectal Resection.

Laparoscopic anterior rectal resection (LAR) is a commonly performed surgery for rectal cancer patients. Pelvic floor peritoneum closure (PC), a vital procedure in conventional anterior rectal resection, is not routinely performed in LAR. A total of 1118 consecutive patients with rectal cancer receiving LAR were included in this retrospective study. Patients were allocated into the PC group and the non-PC group. The occurrence of postoperative complications was compared between the 2 groups. Influential factors in anastomotic leakage (AL) were explored using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. There was no difference between the groups in terms of baseline characteristics. The occurrence of postoperative complications was similar between the groups. The PC group had significantly shorter postoperative hospitalization and longer operation duration compared with the non-PC group. The occurrences of Clavien-Dindo (CD) III-IV complications, CD III-IV AL, and reoperation were significantly lower in the PC group than the non-PC group. PC and a protective ileostomy were independent protective factors for CD III-IV AL. PC could reduce the occurrence of CD III-IV complications, especially CD III-IV AL, and the rate of secondary surgery, especially in patients with a lower body mass index and patients who did not receive protective ileostomies.

Impact of visceral fat area on short-term outcomes in robotic surgery for mid and low rectal cancer.

Rectal cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers that arise in the digestive tract. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the impact of visceral fat area (VFA) on postoperative outcomes in mid and low rectal cancer patients undergoing robotic surgery (RS). Data were collected on patients who underwent robotic anterior rectal resection in a single center from December 2019 to October 2023. Clinical pathology information was analyzed. Statistical analysis was done on the computed tomography (CT) imaging data. A total of 277 patients were included in the study, including 121 cases with visceral obesity (VO) and 156 cases without VO. There was no statistically significant disparity in the lymph node dissection count, blood loss, duration of hospitalization, time to first liquid diet, early postoperative complications, histopathologic specimen indices (quality of TME and CRM involvement rate), and or the rate of conversion to open surgery between VO and non-VO group (P>0.05). Nevertheless, the group of individuals with VO experienced a lengthier duration of surgery (P<0.001) and a delayed time until the first passage of flatus (P<0.001) in comparison to the group without VO. The study suggests that VO does not significantly impact early complications or the quality of surgical outcomes in mid and low rectal cancer patients undergoing robotic surgery. The findings support the continued use of RS as an optimal strategy for technically demanding patients.

Patient reported outcomes after multivisceral resection for advanced rectal cancers in female patients.

Multivisceral resections for rectal cancer can lead to long-term functional disturbances. This study aims to evaluate the quality-of-life outcomes in female patients who underwent multivisceral resection for rectal cancer, specifically focusing on urinary and sexual functions. A cross-sectional study was conducted on female patients who underwent multivisceral rectal resections. Quality of life was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-CR29. Out of 198 female patients that underwent multivisceral resections, 69 were assessable for functional outcomes. The uterus was removed in 42 patients (61%), and the posterior vaginal wall in 34 (49%). A vaginal reconstructive procedure was carried out in 30% (21 patients). Patients reported the most troubles with urinary frequency (mean:69.6; SD:9.9), hair loss (mean:64.7; SD:13.9), pain during intercourse (mean:44; SD:40.7), and bowel frequency (mean:36.9; SD: -10.7) in this order. Amongst the functional scales, anxiety about future health (mean:42.5; SD:-018.9) and interest in sex (mean:57.2; SD:33.2) scored the lowest. Multivisceral rectal resections in female patients are associated with physical and psychosocial changes resulting in urinary and bowel complaints, anxiety about future health, poor sexual health, and pain.

Rectal cancer disparities in a large, diverse health system in New York.

16 Background: The disproportionate burden of colorectal cancer among African American (AA) patients is striking, with 40% increase relative risk of death compared to non-AA White population (Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 2022). NAPRC aims to ensure equitable delivery of evidence-based treatment to ensure optimal outcomes for all patients. Our study investigated whether care delivery outcomes differed for AA patients in our NAPRC cohort of patients, and explored the reasons associated with the disparities. Methods: Rectal cancer patients were identified by pooling 2019 to 2022 data from NAPRC coordinators from 4 regional sites under Northwell Health, spread across a large geographical area in NY: Westchester and Phelps (Northern), Lenox Hill (Western), NSUH/LIJ (Central), and Huntington (Eastern). The primary outcome was time from biopsy (Bx) to treatment (Tx) initiation, where Tx was rectal cancer resection, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. The secondary outcome was time from tumor board (TB) to first Tx. Social deprivation index (SDI) is a composite measure of 7 demographic characteristics collected in the American Community Survey (ACS) matched with zip codes of patients. SDI and the deprivation severity have a positive and linear correlation. Results: We collected data on 381 patients; 337 had documented race data: 42 AA and 295 non-AA (includes White, Asians and others). AA, compared to non-AA, patients had significantly longer median time from Bx to Tx in Western (66 vs 42 days, p&lt;0.01) and Central (56 vs 41 days, p= 0.03) regions. AA patients also had higher time from TB to Tx in the Western (29 vs 17 days, p=0.01) and Central (26 vs 19 days, p= 0.05) regions, respectively. Longer time to treatment was associated with: AA patients, Medicare patients, and patients requiring social work assistance. SDI is positively correlated with time from Bx to Tx (p&lt;0.01) and time from TB to Tx (p&lt;0.01). Conclusions: There are significant disparities between AA vs Non-AA in both primary and secondary outcomes. These findings highlight the need for further exploration such as interviewing social workers and developing patient surveys to explore why the care disparities in AA population is more significant in certain regions than others. We need to account for race and social barriers in treating cancer patients. Taking a proactive approach by sending social work referrals for all AA patients may be a potential solution for these marginalized patients.

Comparing robotic with laparoscopic beyond total mesorectal excision for advanced rectal cancer-a propensity-matched analysis.

Robotic surgery is increasingly being used for rectal resection, with short-term benefits such as reduced hospital stay, faster bowel recovery and fewer complications. However, its utility for advanced rectal cancers requiring beyond total mesorectal excision has not been adequately evaluated. The aim of this study was to compare robotic and laparoscopic approaches for extended rectal resection, with postoperative and short-term oncological outcomes as endpoints. A retrospective, single-centre study of patients with advanced rectal cancer requiring extended rectal resection between January 2017 and December 2022 was carried out. Beyond total mesorectal excisions included pelvic exenteration, en bloc soft tissue or partial organ resection with the rectum, and lateral pelvic node dissection. Propensity score matching in a 4:1 ratio of laparoscopic to robotic was performed with age, sex, comorbidities, body mass index, organs involved, clinical T stage and colonoscopic obstruction. A total of 425 beyond total mesorectal excisions were performed by minimally invasive approaches during the study period, and after propensity matching 228 laparoscopic operations were compared with 57 robotic resections. All baseline characteristics were balanced. No difference in blood loss, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, positive resection margin or nodal yield was found, but there was a somewhat longer operating duration in robotics. The 2-year disease-free and overall survival were also similar. No differences in postoperative or short-term oncological outcomes were found between robotic and laparoscopic beyond total mesorectal excisions for advanced tumours when performed by teams experienced in both robotics and laparoscopy.

Is proctoscopy sufficient for the evaluation of colorectal anastomosis prior to ileostomy reversal? A nationwide retrospective analysis of the Italian Society of Surgical Oncology Colorectal Cancer Network Collaborative group (SICO-CCN).

Several methods for assessing anastomotic integrity have been proposed, but the best is yet to be defined. The aim of this study was to compare the different methods to assess the integrity of colorectal anastomosis prior to ileostomy reversal. A retrospective cohort analysis on patients between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020 with a defunctioning stoma for middle and low rectal anterior resection was performed. A propensity score matching comparison between patients who underwent proctoscopy alone and patients who underwent proctoscopy plus any other preoperative method to assess the integrity of colorectal anastomosis prior to ileostomy reversal (transanal water-soluble contrast enema via conventional radiology, transanal water-soluble contrast enema via CT, and magnetic resonance) was performed. The analysis involved 1045 patients from 26 Italian referral colorectal centres. The comparison between proctoscopy alone versus proctoscopy plus any other preoperative tool showed no significant differences in terms of stenoses (p = 0.217) or leakages (p = 0.103) prior to ileostomy reversal, as well as no differences in terms of misdiagnosed stenoses (p = 0.302) or leakages (p = 0.509). Interestingly, in the group that underwent proctoscopy and transanal water-soluble contrast enema the comparison between the two procedures demonstrated no significant differences in detecting stenoses (2 vs. 0, p = 0.98), while there was a significant difference in detecting leakages in favour of transanal water-soluble contrast enema via CT (3 vs. 12, p = 0.03). We can confirm that proctoscopy alone should be considered sufficient prior to ileostomy reversal. However, in cases in which the results of proctoscopy are not completely clear or the surgeon remains suspicious of an anastomotic leakage, transanal water-soluble contrast enema via CT could guarantee its detection.

Inter-Sphincteric Resection of Rectum for Ulcerated S-100 Negative Large Granular Cell Tumour

Non-neural granular cell tumor was first described in 1991 as an unusual primitive, polypoid variant of the conventional GCT (granular cell tumor). To date, this neoplasm remains as a rare entity and the cell of origin is uncertain. While the histological features are similar to the conventional (traditional) GCTs, it represents a distinct entity, as it is negative for S-100 and lacks true nerve sheath differentiation. We report here a case of a 49-year-old male patient with S-100 negative, vimentin positive large benign, ulcerated, bleeding non-neural GCT in the lower rectum. We confirmed the diagnosis histopathologically and immunohistochemically. We treated it by ISRR (Inter-Sphincteric Resection of Rectum) and primary colo-anal anastomosis. We find no other report of non-neural GCT located in the rectum in surgical literature. This is probably the first case of non-neural GCT identified in the rectum. This case report is presented here to document a non-neural GCT located in the rectum for the first time ever reported, and also to highlight the optimum best surgical approach, as we deemed here for this large ulcerated bleeding tumor in the rectum. This rectal non-neural GCT posed here as an unusual differential diagnosis from such more common neoplastic bleeding lesions in the rectum as carcinoma rectum, hemorrhoid, rectal polyp, etc. Here we like to discuss our experience, reviewing in brief the available literature implicating the biological behavior, histopathological and immunohistochemical features, differential diagnosis and therapeutic considerations of neural and non-neural GCTs. KYAMC Journal Volume: 14, No: 03, October 2023: 181-187.

Median and medial umbilical ligament repositioning for prevention of pelviperineal complications following abdominoperineal resection-a case series and novel technique.

Pelviperineal complications after abdominoperineal resections are tough to treat. None of the available prophylactic methods has proven efficacy besides being technically challenging and expensive to perform. The present study aims to describe the technical details and short-term outcomes using mobilised umbilical ligaments to cover the pelvic inlet. After completing the rectal resection, the bladder with umbilical ligaments is mobilised anteriorly into the space of Retzius until the free edge can reach the sacral midline. Hitching stitches are taken to fix the umbilical ligaments into the new position. Seven consecutive patients had the umbilical ligament flap used for pelvic inlet closure. Cross-sectional imaging on day 30 demonstrated the viable flap in all patients, and the small bowel descent was prevented. None of the seven patients had small bowel obstruction till day 90 after the operation. No patient required re-catheterisation, experienced major complications or wound infections that would necessitate re-intervention. Using mobilised umbilical ligaments hitched to the pelvic inlet is a technically safe and feasible procedure to prevent pelviperineal complications after APR.

Evolution of surgical approach to rectal cancer resection: A multinational registry assessment.

Surgical approach to rectal cancer has evolved in recent decades, with introduction of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques and local excision. Since implementation might differ internationally, this study is aimed at evaluating trends in surgical approach to rectal cancer across different countries over the last 10years and to gain insight into patient, tumour and treatment characteristics. Pseudo-anonymised data of patients undergoing resection for rectal cancer between 2010 and 2019 were extracted from clinical audits in the Netherlands (NL), Sweden (SE), England-Wales (EW) and Australia-New Zealand (AZ). Ninety-nine thousand five hundred ninety-seven patients were included (38,413 open, 55,155 MIS and 5416 local excision). An overall increase in MIS was observed from 29.9% in 2010 to 72.1% in 2019, with decreasing conversion rates (17.5-9.0%). The MIS proportion was highly variable between countries in the period 2010-2014 (54.4% NL, 45.3% EW, 39.8% AZ, 14.1% SE, P < 0.001), but variation reduced over time (2015-2019 78.8% NL, 66.3% EW, 64.3% AZ, 53.2% SE, P < 0.001). The proportion of local excision for the two periods was highly variable between countries: 4.7% and 11.8% in NL, 3.9% and 7.4% in EW, 4.7% and 4.6% in AZ, 6.0% and 2.9% in SE. Application and speed of implementation of MIS were highly variable between countries, but each registry demonstrated a significant increase over time. Local excision revealed inconsistent trends over time.

Improved method of hemostasis for the middle rectal artery

Objective. To obtain data on the comparative characteristics of traditional and improved methods of hemostasis for the middle rectal artery (MRA).Materials and methods. The material for the sectional study was 206 corpses of men (the age of the deceased was from 22 to 82 years, the average age was 57 years) and 113 corpses of women (the age of the deceased was from 32 to 93 years, the average age was 63 years). To achieve the purpose of the study, the following methods were used: vascular injection, dissection, statistical processing. 85 patients of both sexes aged from 57 to 75 years were selected to conduct the clinical part of the study at Gomel Regional Specialized Clinical Hospital. Among them, 50 people were in the comparison group and 35 people were in the main group. All patients were diagnosed with stage I or II rectal cancer. The operative technique for performing hemostasis on the MRA during anterior rectal resection in the comparison group included sequential ligation and stitching between the clamps first of the distal third of the length of this artery, and then its proximal third. In the main group, the method of hemostasis for MRA was supplemented by ligation and stitching of this vessel in the middle third of its length. Statistical data processing included parametric and nonparametric methods of comparative analysis.Results. On cadaveric material, it was found that most of the extraorgan anastomoses of the MRA both in men and women have been localized in the middle third of this artery. The results obtained during the clinical study demonstrate the superiority of the improved hemostasis method for MRA over the traditional method. The proposed method includes additional ligation and stitching of the middle third of the MRA.Conclusion. The improved hemostasis method for MRA in anterior rectal resection is highly effective, which makes it possible to recommend it as the method of choice in the surgical treatment of upper ampullary rectal cancer of stage I or II.

Morphological predictors of water-electrolyte disorders in patients with preventive ileostomy after rectal resection for cancer

To analyze morphological changes in wall of functioning and non-functioning small intestine in patients with preventive ileostomy and to determine histological predictors of water-electrolyte disorders. We prospectively analyzed 57 patients >18 years old who underwent rectal resection with preventive ileostomy between January 2022 and November 2023. Anthropometric data included gender, age, body mass index, ECOG and ASA classes. Complications associated with large losses through ileostomy were water-electrolyte disorders, dehydration and acute renal failure with repeated hospitalization. Morphological analysis implied intraoperative full-layer biopsy of small intestine on anterior abdominal wall (ileostomy). Intraoperative biopsy of efferent and afferent loops was also carried out. Tissue samples were examined by light microscopy. We analyzed mean height of mucous membrane villi and depth of crypts, as well as their ratio. Fibrosis and swelling of submucosa were evaluated too. The results were analyzed in the SPSS Statistics 20 software. Mean height of intestinal villi <465 microns (p=0.028), ratio of their height to crypt depth <4.38 (p=0.034) and submucosal fibrosis (p=0.031) significantly affected malabsorption and readmission of patients. The risk of readmission was 11.5 and 5.5 times higher in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed in-hospital dehydration with resumption of infusion therapy as a predictor of readmission (p=0.046). Ileostomy is a certain stress for the patient's body. Not every patient is able for adaptation. One of the adaptation mechanisms is hypertrophy of mucous membrane villi involved in digestion. This mechanism is less pronounced in patients with repeated hospitalizations. Preoperative morphological examination of ileum mucosa may be an additional objective predictor of possible complications of preventive ileostomy.

An unusual case of neuroendocrine tumor

Abstract Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumour is defined as tumour arising in specialised cells called neuroendocrine cells who show traits of nerve cells and hormone producing cells. These slow growing tumours are more common in adult female than in males or children and often present with vague symptoms. This report highlights unusual case of NET diagnosed incidentally intraoperatively. Clinical Case: A 46 yrs. old P2L2, menstruating women was referred with complaints of mild lower abdomen pain for 3 months. Since patient was symptomatic and USG inconclusive, MRI pelvis was done which revealed a well marginated thin-walled lesion in left paracentral presacral area suggestive of Para-ovarian or Haemorrhagic cyst. Patient posted for laparoscopy in view of adnexal cyst and intraoperative findings revealed normal uterus, bilateral tubes, and ovaries with no evidence of para-ovarian cyst. On examining lateral pelvic wall, a paracentral mass lateral to left uterosacral ligament was noted, excised, and retrieved in toto. Histopathology and immunohistochemical analysis suggestive of well differentiated Neuroendocrine tumour of WHO GRADE 2. Primary was noted in anterolateral wall of mid-rectum and colonoscopic biopsy confirmed the diagnosis followed by which low anterior resection of rectum was performed. Patient was followed for postoperative recovery and discharged. Conclusion: According to literature there is often a delay of average 52 months before patient reaches its correct diagnosis. High index of suspicion remains a key to clench diagnosis in such cases.

Hand Compartment Syndrome After Prolonged Robotic‐Assisted Laparoscopic Rectal Resection: A Case Report and Literature Review

Hand Compartment Syndrome After Prolonged Robotic‐Assisted Laparoscopic Rectal Resection: A Case Report and Literature Review

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma: a rare case of rectal cancer.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a histological variant that resembles nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma and occurs in various locations such as the salivary glands and lung. LELCs in the digestive tract are rare, accounting for only 2% of cases, being exceptional in the rectum. We present the case of an 84-year-old man with rectorrhagia, whitish malodorous discharge and constipation of one month's duration. Rectal examination identified a tumour. Colonoscopy revealed a rectal lesion that was confirmed by biopsy as malignant, and MRI showed an extensive rectal tumour. Histopathology revealed undifferentiated carcinoma with acute inflammatory infiltrate, consistent with LELC. Immunohistochemistry was positive for keratins 5/6, 18, 20, CEA and BER.EP4, while in situ hybridisation for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) RNA was negative. The multidisciplinary decision included neoadjuvant radiotherapy and anterior rectal resection. The patient remains in complete response two years after treatment. Histologically, LELC is characterised by an acute inflammatory infiltrate interspersed with poorly differentiated neoplastic cells. The stomach is the most commonly affected region in the gastrointestinal tract, with more than 80% of gastric LELCs associated with EBV. To date, only four cases of rectal LELC have been reported, and its association with EBV was demonstrated in only one case. There are no standard treatments for rectal LELC, underscoring the need to gather more cases to understand its pathogenesis and develop effective treatment strategies.

Lokalno radikalno lečenje patoloških lezija rektuma minimalno invazivnim hirurškim pristupima

Introduction: The most common pathological changes treated in the rectum are neoplastic polyps (villous, tubular, and tubulovillous adenomas) and rectal adenocarcinomas. Until now, precancerous lesions of the type of neoplastic polyps have been treated with a local approach, and patients with advanced cancers have been operated on with a radical surgical intervention, either classically or laparoscopically. Aim: In this paper, we will show the advantages and disadvantages of certain local surgical approaches to pathological changes in the rectum. Material and methods: Our research analyzed two groups of patients. In the first group, patients with pathological lesions of the rectum were treated with local transanal excision (TAE), and the second group of patients were treated with the newly introduced technique of transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS). In the period from September 2021 to March 2023. at the CHC Zemun in Surgery Clinic, a total of 12 patients were operated on with the TAMIS procedure and 15 patients with the TAE technique for various pathological changes in the rectum. In all patients, the changes were localized in the rectum from 5 to 15 cm from the anocutaneous line in the TAMIS group and from 0 to 6 cm in the TAE group. Pathological changes could not be resected by endoscopic polypectomy. Results: The average duration of the operations was longer in the TAMIS group and amounted to 45 minutes, while the operations lasted an average of 20 minutes in the TAE group. During the surgical procedure, mucosectomy is most often performed, followed by resection of the full thickness of the rectal wall, and resection of the rectal wall with part of the mesorectal tissue was performed the least frequently in both analyzed groups. In 3 patients we had preparation fragmentation, and in 1 case we had positive margins by histopathological postoperative analysis in the TAMIS group. In the TAE group, we had one patient with preparation fragmentation and a positive margin. Patients with a positive margin in both the TAE and TAMIS groups belonged to villous adenomas with a high degree of dysplasia. The final HP finding in both groups most often spoke in favor of tubulovillous adenoma with a low to medium degree of dysplasia. In both groups, we had 2 cases of early intramucosal carcinoma T1 stage. Discussion: The postoperative period of hospitalization is shorter in TAE compared to TAMIS (1.3 days compared to 1.8 days). We had no serious postoperative complications in any of the observed groups. In one case, we had postoperative bleeding, which was treated with endoscopic hemostasis. Such low percentages of postoperative complications, even in our small series of patients, justify the introduction of the TAMIS procedure into daily practice for the surgical treatment of large endoscopically unresectable rectal polyps of high rectal localization. Conclusion: Based on our work and the available literature, we can conclude that radical local resections of TAE and TAMIS are a viable alternative to surgical radical rectal resection in polypoid changes and early T1 rectal cancers with less morbidity, faster recovery, and lower treatment costs. These techniques are safe, effective, and reproducible.

Cytomegalovirus infection as a rare cause of colitis.

A 62 year-old-man with low anterior rectal resection and protective ileostomy, for low rectal neo and neoadjuvant QT +RT. Then ileostomy closure without incidences. On the 3rd postoperative day, he started with fever peaks and diarrhea. An abdominal CT scan showed diffuse thickening of the wall of the descending colon compatible with colitis and colonoscopy showed deep rectal ulcers with punch-like morphology with hyperemic mucosa with erythematous stippling of erosive appearance, showing this ulcerative pattern with numerous lesions and intensely edematous and congestive mucosa covered with abundant fibrinopurulent exudate in the descending colon. Biopsies and stool cultures were negative, but serologies were positive for CMV. Suspected CMV infection in a immunosuppressed by chemotherapy patient, he was treated with ganciclovir. The patient presented clinical improvement, without fever or diarrhea and improvement of the punch ulcers in the endoscopic controls, so he could be discharged from the hospital with follow-up in the outpatient consulting offices.

Total mesorectal excision after rectal-sparing approach in locally advanced rectal cancer patients after neoadjuvant treatment: a high volume center experience.

In patient with a complete or near-complete clinical response after neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer, the organ-sparing approach [watch & wait (W&W) or local excision (LE)] is a possible alternative to major rectal resection. Although, in case of local recurrence or regrowth, after these treatments, a total mesorectal excision (TME) can be operated. In this retrospective study, we selected 120 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) who had a complete or near-complete clinical response after neoadjuvant treatment, from June 2011 to June 2021. Among them, 41 patients were managed by W&W approach, whereas 79 patients were managed by LE. Twenty-three patients underwent salvage TME for an unfavorable histology after LE (11 patients) or a local recurrence/regrowth (seven patients in LE group - five patients in W&W group), with a median follow-up of 42 months. Following salvage TME, no patients died within 30 days; serious adverse events occurred in four patients; 8 (34.8%) patients had a definitive stoma; 8 (34.8%) patients undergone to major surgery for unfavorable histology after LE - a complete response was confirmed. Notably active surveillance after rectal sparing allows prompt identifying signs of regrowth or relapse leading to a radical TME. Rectal sparing is a possible strategy for LARC patients although an active surveillance is necessary.

Bowel function after anterior rectal resection for cancer: short and long-term prospective evaluation with low anterior rectal syndrome (LARS) score in a cohort of Cameroonian patients.

bowel dysfunction is the most common and disabling complication after anterior rectal resection (ARR) for cancer. We aimed to evaluate these complications in a cohort of Cameroonian patients, using the low anterior rectal syndrome (LARS) score. we conducted a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study, in two university hospitals of Yaoundé (Cameroon). Prospectively, we collected the records of all patients aged at least 18 years who had an ARR indicated for rectal cancer from January 2015 to March 2018. Alive patients among them were subsequently received in consultation at 1 and 3 years after surgery, for short and long-term assessment of their digestive function using the LARS score. during the study period, 28 patients underwent anterior rectal resection for rectal cancers. Short-term bowel function was evaluated in 23 patients. Their mean age was 48.42 ± 12.2 years and 14 were males. LARS was present in 10 of them (43.47%) and classified as "minor" in the majority of cases (n=6). The commonest bowel dysfunction at this term was splitting of stool (56.53%). Long-term digestive function was evaluated in 11 patients; LARS was found in 3 of them (27,27%) and classified as minor in all cases. Perfect continence was significantly improved (p=0.003) in the long term compared to the short-term status. Continence (p=0.049) and urgency (p=0.048) were better in patients who had a low colorectal anastomosis compared to those who had a colo supra-anal anastomosis. after ARR for cancer, there is a high prevalence of LARS in the short term with an improvement in the long term.

Circumferential resection margin positivity due to direct or indirect tumour involvement in rectal cancer - a call for better stratification.

A positive circumferential resection margin (CRM) after rectal cancer surgery, which can be the result of direct or indirect tumour involvement, has consistently been associated with increased local recurrence and poorer survival. However, little is known of the differential impact of the mode of tumour involvement on outcomes. 1460 consecutive patients undergoing rectal cancer resection between 2003 and 2018 were retrospectively assessed. Histopathology reports for patients with a positive CRM were reviewed to determine cases of direct (R1-tumour) or indirect tumour involvement (R1-other). Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The role of the mode of CRM positivity was examined by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Eighty-five patients had an R1 resection due to CRM involvement (5.8%). Of those, 69 were due to direct tumour involvement, while 16 were from indirect causes. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that R1-other was associated with increased OS (hazard ratio 0.40, log-rank P = 0.006) and DFS (P = 0.043). Multivariate regression confirmed that the mode of CRM positivity was an independent predictor of OS. More interestingly, the patterns of recurrence were different between the two groups, with R1-tumour leading to significantly more local recurrence (P = 0.04). Our data strongly suggests that direct tumour involvement of the CRM confers worse prognosis after rectal cancer surgery. Importantly, differences in the site and frequency of recurrences make a case for better stratification of patients with a positive CRM to guide treatment decisions.

Intestinal dysbiosis as an intraoperative predictor of septic complications: evidence from human surgical cohorts and preclinical models of peritoneal sepsis

Major surgery exposes the intestinal microbiota to inflammatory and antibiotic stressors, which alter the microbiota composition of the intestinal lumen and fecal contents. However, it is not sufficiently understood, if such dysbiosis develops already during surgery and if alterations in microbiota may be the cause of surgical complications. End-of-surgery composition of the microbiota in the rectum was assessed in 41 patients undergoing either rectal or duodenopancreatic resection and was compared to baseline before surgery using 16S-rRNA sequencing. A subset of patients developed severe dysbiosis at the end of surgery, which was characterized by an overgrowth of the Proteobacteria phylum that includes the facultative pathogen E. coli. To test if dysbiosis impacts on surgical outcomes, dysbiosis was modeled in mice by a single oral administration of vancomycin prior to cecal ligation and puncture. Dysbiosis was associated with impaired post-surgical survival, dysregulation of the host’s immune response, elevated bacterial virulence and reduced bacterial metabolism of carbon sources. In conclusion, dysbiosis can be detected already at the end of surgery in a fraction of patients undergoing major surgery. Modelling surgery-associated dysbiosis in mice using single-shot administration of vancomycin induced dysbiosis and resulted in elevated mortality.