Rectal Resection Research Articles

Risk Factors for the Development of LARS in Anterior Rectal Resection for Rectal Carcinoma and the Quality of Life of Patients with Developed LARS

Risk Factors for the Development of LARS in Anterior Rectal Resection for Rectal Carcinoma and the Quality of Life of Patients with Developed LARS

High Ligation of the Inferior Mesenteric Artery in Left-Sided Colon and Rectal Cancer Resection: Rates of Success and Outcomes.

High ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery, defined as ligation before the takeoff of the left colic artery, is often described as the gold standard in low left-sided colon and rectal cancer surgery. The aim of this study is to quantify the rate of ligation at the described level at a single academic center. Additionally, we examined the relationship between level of ligation and cancer-related outcomes. This retrospective cohort study included patients ages 18 and over with low left-sided colon, rectal, and anal cancers undergoing surgical resection. Radiographic evidence of high ligation was defined as ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery before the takeoff of the left colic artery. Patients with and without radiographic evidence of high ligation on CT were compared. Secondary outcomes include lymph node yield and positivity, need for adjuvant therapy, and time from surgery to adjuvant therapy. 169 patients (54% male) were included in the study. 61.5% of operative reports described high ligation of the IMA. There was radiographic evidence of high ligation in 55.6% of total patients and in 70.2% of patients where high ligation was intended. There was no significant difference in surgeon experience, surgical procedure, or surgical approach. There was no difference in lymph node yield, time to adjuvant chemotherapy, or recurrence rates. This study demonstrates good technical success rate of high ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery but shows no difference in short-term patient-measured outcomes between high and low ligation (or successful and unsuccessful high ligation).

Transition from laparoscopic to robotic approach in rectal cancer: a single-center short-term analysis based on the learning curve.

As a novel procedure becomes more and more used, knowledge about its learning curve and its impact on outcomes is useful for future implementations. Our aim is (i) to identify the phases of the robotic rectal surgery learning process and assess the safety and oncological outcomes during that period, (ii) to compare the robotic rectal surgery learning phases outcomes with laparoscopic rectal resections performed before the implementation of the robotic surgery program. We performed a retrospective study, based on a prospectively maintained database, with methodological quality assessment by STROBE checklist. All the procedures were performed by the same two surgeons. A total of 157 robotic rectal resections from June 2018 to January 2022 and 97 laparoscopic rectal resections from January 2018 to July 2019 were included. The learning phase was completed at case 26 for surgeon A, 36 for surgeon B, and 60 for the center (both A & B). There were no differences in histopathological results or postoperative complications between phases, achieving the same ratio of mesorectal quality, circumferential and distal resection margins as the laparoscopic approach. A transitory increase of major complications and anastomotic leakage could occur once overcoming the learning phase, secondary to the progressive complexity of cases. Robotic rectal cancer surgery learning curve phases in experienced laparoscopic surgeons was completed after 25-35 cases. Implementation of a robotic rectal surgery program is safe in oncologic terms, morbidity, mortality and length of stay.

How often is prophylactic parastomal mesh placement performed after rectal resection without sphincter preservation? An analysis of German nationwide hospital discharge data among 41,697 patients

PurposeThe European Hernia Society guidelines of parastomal hernias, published in 2017, strongly recommend prophylactic synthetic non-absorbable mesh upon the construction of a permanent end colostomy to reduce the incidence of parastomal hernias. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of the guidelines in Germany.MethodsThis is a retrospective multicentric analysis conducted in December 2022 at the University Hospital Brandenburg an der Havel. Anonymous data on rectal resection without sphincter preservation in the period 2010–2020 were extracted from the German nationwide hospital discharge data set. Individuals with a hernia and < 18 years old were excluded. Another exclusion criterion was a performed colectomy or proctocolectomy with an ileoanal pouch and placement of an absorbable mesh. The primary endpoint was the annual rate of prophylactic parastomal mesh placement following rectal resection without sphincter preservation in Germany. Cases reporting both non-absorbable mesh placement and rectal resection without sphincter preservation were considered prophylactic mesh insertions.ResultsA total of 41,697 patients received a rectal resection without sphincter preservation and without non-absorbable mesh placement. Among these individuals, 27,089 were male and 14,608 were female. The rate of reoperations (3.1%) and the length of hospital stay (25.3 days ± 19.32) remained almost constant during these 10 years. The rate of prophylactic mesh placement was increasing from 0.2% (n = 8) in 2010 to 6.4% (n = 198) in 2020.ConclusionsCurrently, only the minority of patients who have undergone rectal resection without sphincter preservation receive prophylactic mesh insertion.

Ileus conditions after rectal and Hartmann's resections.

Bowel obstruction is one of the most common postoperative complications in pelvic surgery. In most cases, adhesive mechanical ileus of the small bowel is the cause. In procedures such as Hartmann's resection or abdominoperineal rectal resection, it seems that the large wound area on the pelvic walls and pelvic floor and the dead space after the removed rectum with mesorectum contribute to the ileus condition. The aim of this paper was to identify the risk factors for ileus after selected pelvic procedures and to map the possible ways of prevention and treatment of these complications. We performed retrospective simple analysis of a set of 98 patients who underwent elective abdominoperineal resection of the rectum, pelvic exenteration or Hartmann's resection for rectal cancer between 2017-2022. Postoperative complications were recorded, especially bowel obstruction, and perineal wound or rectal stump healing complications. In all 9 patients, who needed reoperation, we searched for risk factors for ileus known from the literature. We also described the management of ileus. In the group of 9 patients subjected to detailed analysis, 8 risk factors were most common: male gender, obesity, history of radiotherapy, open surgery, requirement of adhesiolysis in primary surgery, large blood loss, difficult dissection, and impaired healing of the rectal stump/perineum. A total of 8 (88.9%) patients had a combination of 4 or more of the mentioned risk factors. Our results confirm the impact of risk factors known from the literature; furthermore, they indicate a connection with the formation of a dead space in the pelvis and with complications of the rectal stump or perineal wound healing. Some of the risk factors cannot be changed, and current preventive measures cannot completely prevent the formation of adhesions. It is therefore advisable to look for other materials and methods that would ideally limit the formation of adhesions and at the same time fill the dead space and thus separate it from the perineal wound.

Stoma-free survival after anastomotic leak following rectal cancer resection: worldwide cohort of 2470 patients.

The optimal treatment of anastomotic leak after rectal cancer resection is unclear. This worldwide cohort study aimed to provide an overview of four treatment strategies applied. Patients from 216 centres and 45 countries with anastomotic leak after rectal cancer resection between 2014 and 2018 were included. Treatment was categorized as salvage surgery, faecal diversion with passive or active (vacuum) drainage, and no primary/secondary faecal diversion. The primary outcome was 1-year stoma-free survival. In addition, passive and active drainage were compared using propensity score matching (2 : 1). Of 2470 evaluable patients, 388 (16.0 per cent) underwent salvage surgery, 1524 (62.0 per cent) passive drainage, 278 (11.0 per cent) active drainage, and 280 (11.0 per cent) had no faecal diversion. One-year stoma-free survival rates were 13.7, 48.3, 48.2, and 65.4 per cent respectively. Propensity score matching resulted in 556 patients with passive and 278 with active drainage. There was no statistically significant difference between these groups in 1-year stoma-free survival (OR 0.95, 95 per cent c.i. 0.66 to 1.33), with a risk difference of -1.1 (95 per cent c.i. -9.0 to 7.0) per cent. After active drainage, more patients required secondary salvage surgery (OR 2.32, 1.49 to 3.59), prolonged hospital admission (an additional 6 (95 per cent c.i. 2 to 10) days), and ICU admission (OR 1.41, 1.02 to 1.94). Mean duration of leak healing did not differ significantly (an additional 12 (-28 to 52) days). Primary salvage surgery or omission of faecal diversion likely correspond to the most severe and least severe leaks respectively. In patients with diverted leaks, stoma-free survival did not differ statistically between passive and active drainage, although the increased risk of secondary salvage surgery and ICU admission suggests residual confounding.

THE USE OF ARGON PLASMA COAGULATION IN ENDOSCOPY

Relevance: Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is a minimally invasive, non-contact electrosurgery method. This procedure is performed in the following conditions: bleeding in hollow organs, including ulceration after radiation therapy, Barrett’s esophagus, with the germination of a malignant tumor through a stent, benign neoplasms, precancerous conditions, some malignant tumors at the earliest stages. In this article, the authors present the first and successful experience of the use of APC in Kazakhstan during endoscopic interventions in patients with various pathologies.&#x0D; The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the introduction of APC as an endoscopic treatment in patients with precancerous pathology and complications of surgical treatment in oncological patients.&#x0D; Methods: A retrospective analysis of the use and effectiveness of AIC was carried out in 15 patients with various pathologies who were on inpatient treatment at the National Research Oncology Center (NROC, Astana, Kazakhstan) during 2022.&#x0D; Results: Barrett’s esophageal APC was successfully performed in the NROC hospital in 6 patients, no signs of intestinal-type metaplasia of the esophageal epithelium were detected in the biopsy material. Two patients with post-radiation hemorrhagic proctitis underwent coagulation in Pulse 15Wt mode and argon flow of 0.4-1.0 L/min. A patient with the GAVE syndrome with hemorrhages underwent 2 sessions of APC in 35Wt mode with a gas flow of 0.8 L/min. In 3 patients with fistulas of the suture of the main bronchus, coagulation was performed after pulmonectomy and closure of the fistula was observed for 1 week. Two patients with esophagoenteroanastomosis failure underwent 2 sessions of APC using 40-watt argon with an interval of 5 days. After anterior rectal resection, the patient had a failure of anastomosis with a multi-chamber cavity and the presence of purulent contents. 4 courses of APC were conducted with an interval of 2 weeks, after the APC, the mouth of the main chamber narrowed, the discharge of pus stopped, as a result, there was a blind pocket up to 2.0 cm without additional chambers and signs of inflammation.&#x0D; Conclusion: The presented article describes the results of the introduction of APC as an endoscopic method of treating patients with various pathologies in an oncological clinic, and based on these results, APC can be recommended for widespread implementation throughout Kazakhstan.

The influence of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy combined with lateral lymph nodes dissection or not on the local recurrence of low to intermediate-stage II/III rectal cancer.

Currently, the treatment options for stage II/III rectal cancer with preoperative lateral lymph nodes (LLN) enlargement are highly controversial between East and West, and the indications for diagnosing suspiciously positive enlarged LLN are inconsistent both nationally and internationally. Oriental scholars (especially Japanese) consider the LLN as a regional disease, they consider that prophylactic lateral lymph nodes dissection (LLND), regardless of whether the LLN is enlarged or not, is considered necessary if the tumor is found beneath the peritoneal reflex and invades the muscle layer. Western scholars regard LLN as distant metastases, recommending neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in conjunction with total rectal mesenteric resection (TME). In recent years, it has been found that neither of the two standard treatment regimens, East and West, significantly improved local control of tumors in patients with LLN enlargement. In contrast, nCRT combined with LLND significantly lowers the local recurrence (LR) rate. It has also been suggested that combination therapy regimens do not improve patient prognosis but increase treatment-related complications. Therefore, the suitable therapeutic option for rectal cancer with an enlarged LLN needs to be further explored. Exploring appropriate treatment options for low to intermediate-stage II/III rectal cancer with LLN enlargement, as well as risk variables that may affect the LR in these patients with LLN enlarged. In this research, we retrospectively analyzed 110 patients with locally advanced mid-low (low boundary of tumor is no more than 10 cm from the anus) rectal cancer who were treated at Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital arranged from 2017.1 to 2020.6. These patients had received nCRT and TME, and their initial rectal nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an enlarged LLN (short axis of LLN, SA ≥ 5 mm). Of these, 40 patients underwent LLND, thus, 110 patients were grouped into two groups: nCRT+TME (LLND-, n = 70) and nCRT+TME + LLND (LLND+, n = 40), and their 3 years prognoses were compared. After a median follow-up of 49.0 months, the 3-year LR rate of the LLND- group was notably greater than the LLND+ group (22.8% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.04). However, there was no noteworthy difference in the 3-year progression-free survival (PFS, 70.5% vs. 77.5%, p > 0.05) rate or distant metastasis (DM) rate (20.0% vs. 17.5%, p > 0.05). Additionally, the LLND+ group experienced significantly more postoperative complications than the LLND- group (15.0% vs. 4.2%, p = 0.05). Subgroups analysis for the LLND- group revealed that patients with LLN short axis regression (ΔSA) > 35.9% after nCRT had significantly lower 3-year LR rate than patients with ΔSA ≤ 35.9% (9.1% vs. 35.1%, p = 0.01). Patients in the LLND- group with ΔSA > 35.9%, however, had comparable 3-year LR rate and DM rates to those in the LLND+ group. LLN is an independent indicator for prognosis among people with low to intermediate-stage II/III malignant rectal tumors. Patients with poor SA regression (ΔSA ≤ 35.9%) after nCRT have a greater risk of positive LLN and a more substantial LR, and nCRT combined with LLND reduced the LR rate significantly, but considerably prolonged operative time, surgical bleeding, and postoperative complications. Patients with better SA regression (ΔSA > 35.9%), however, have a lower possibility of LR and might not need LLN clearance, in these cases, nCRT+TME is advised.

Postoperative decline in renal function after rectal resection and all-cause mortality: a retrospective cohort study.

Fluid loss, dehydration and resultant kidney injury are common when a diverting ileostomy is formed during rectal cancer surgery, the consequences of which are unknown. The aim of this retrospective single-site cohort study is to evaluate the impact of sustained postoperative renal dysfunction after rectal resection on long-term renal impairment and survival. All patients with rectal adenocarcinoma undergoing resection between January 2003 and March 2017 were included, with follow-up to June 2020. The primary outcome was impact on long-term mortality attributed to a 25% or greater drop in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) following rectal resection. Secondary outcomes were the long-term effect on renal function resulting from the same drop in eGFR and the effect on long-term mortality and renal function of a 50% drop in eGFR. We also calculated the effect on mortality of a 1% drop in eGFR. A total of 1159 patients were identified. Postoperative reductions in eGFR of 25% and 50% were associated with long-term overall mortality with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.84 (1.22-2.77) (p = 0.004) and 2.88 (1.45-5.71) (p = 0.002). The median survival of these groups was 86.0 (64.0-108.0) months and 53.3 (7.8-98.8) months compared with 144.5 (128.1-160.9) months for controls. Long-term effects on renal function were demonstrated, with those who sustained a >25% drop in renal function having a 38.8% mean decline in eGFR at 10 years compared with 10.2% in controls. Persistent postoperative declines in renal function may be linked to long-term mortality. Further research is needed to assess causal relationships and prevention.

Laparoscopic rectal cancer resection yields comparable clinical and oncological results with shorter hospital stay compared to open access: a 5-year national cohort

PurposeAlthough widely applied, the results following laparoscopic rectal resection (LRR) compared to open rectal resection (ORR) are still debated. The aim of this study was to assess clinical short- and long-term results as well as oncological resection quality following LRR or ORR for cancer in a 5-year national cohort.MethodsData from the Norwegian Registry for Gastrointestinal Surgery and the Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Registry were retrieved from January 2014 to December 2018 for patients who underwent elective resection for rectal cancer. Primary end point was 5-year overall survival. Secondary end points were local recurrence rates within 5 years, oncological resection quality, and short-term outcome measures.ResultsA total of 1796 patients were included, of whom 1284 had undergone LRR and 512 ORR. There was no difference in 5-year survival rates between the groups after adjusting for relevant covariates with Cox regression analyses. Crude 5-year survival was 77.1% following LRR compared to 74.8% following ORR (p = 0.015). The 5-year local recurrence rates were 3.1% following LRR and 4.1% following ORR (p = 0.249). Length of hospital stay was median 8.0 days (quartiles 7.0–13.0) after ORR compared to 6.0 (quartiles 4.0–8.0) days after LRR. After adjusting for relevant covariates, estimated additional length of stay after ORR was 3.1 days (p < 0.001, 95% CI 2.3–3.9). Rates of positive resection margins and number of harvested lymph nodes were similar. There were no other significant differences in short-term outcomes between the groups.ConclusionLRR was performed with clinical and oncological outcomes similar to ORR, but with shorter hospital stay.

Tandem Mass Tag-Based Proteomic Profiling Identifies Biomarkers in Drainage Fluid for Early Detection of Anastomotic Leakage after Rectal Cancer Resection.

Anastomotic leakage (AL), one of the most severe complications in rectal surgery, is often diagnosed late because of the low specificity of the clinical symptoms and limitations of current clinical investigations. Identification of patients with early AL remains challenging. Here, we explored the protein expression profiles of AL patients to provide potential biomarkers to identify AL in patients who undergo surgery for rectal cancer. We screened differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in drainage fluid from AL and non-AL patients using a tandem mass tag method. A total of 248 DEPs, including 98 upregulated and 150 downregulated proteins, were identified between AL and non-AL groups. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses suggested that DEPs were enriched in neutrophil degranulation, bacterial infection, proteolysis, hemostasis, and complement and coagulation cascades. The results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay validated that the expression of the top three upregulated DEPs, AMY2A, RETN, and CELA3A, was significantly increased in the drainage fluid of AL patients, compared with that of non-AL patients (AMY2A, P = 0.001; RETN, P < 0.0001; and CELA3A, P = 0.023). Thus, our findings provide several potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of AL after rectal cancer resection.

598P Influence of the early stoma closure after low rectal cancer resection on completeness of adjuvant chemotherapy (CoCStom): A randomized, controlled multicentre trial of the AIO (AIO KRK 0113)

598P Influence of the early stoma closure after low rectal cancer resection on completeness of adjuvant chemotherapy (CoCStom): A randomized, controlled multicentre trial of the AIO (AIO KRK 0113)

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic low anterior resection versus trans-anal total mesorectal excision for malignant rectal lesion: a prospective cohort trial

Introduction Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to compare the trans-anal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) to the robotic-assisted laparoscopic resection of mid- and low rectal carcinoma regarding the clinical and oncological outcome. Methods This was a prospective cohort study. This study was held on patients presenting with rectal cancer. Eighty patients were included divided into two groups, 40 patients were subjected to TaTME and 40 patients were subjected to robotic-assisted resection. Results Rectal resection was performed in both groups and the results were compared; total time was significantly less in TaTME group (mean time was 179.10 min in TaTME and 266.35 in robotic, P value &lt; 0.001), estimated blood loss was significantly less in TaTME group (mean was 130.50 ml in TaTME and 212 ml in robotic, P value=0.017), cost was significantly less in TaTME group (mean cost ×1000L.E was 46.15 in TaTME and 110.70 in robotic, P value less than 0.001), distal margin was significantly more in the robotic group (mean was 2.68 compared with 2.02 in TaTME, P value = 0.002), hospital stay was significantly less in the robotic group (mean of 4.6 days compared with 5.1 for TaTME, P value = 0.014) and there was no statistically significant difference concerning the total number of lymph nodes, proximal and circumferential margins. Conclusion This study suggests that robotic surgery is safe and effective and has some advantages concerning distal margins of low rectal resections. Also, TaTME can be compared with robotic surgery and represents an effective and less expensive alternative for robotic surgery.

Outcomes of anastomosis of mechanically prepared bowel vs. mechanically unprepared bowel in laparoscopic anterior resection in adult patients with rectal cancer

Introduction: The limited literature supporting the utilization of mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) for patients undergoing laparoscopic anterior resection of rectum (LAR) remains a notable issue. This study was conducted to examine the clinical consequences of anastomosis in rectal surgery with MBP compared to cases where MBP is not utilized (no-MBP) in the context of LAR.Methods: This is a retrospective comparative study conducted in the professorial surgical wards of Teaching Hospital Karapitiya (THK). Rectal cancer patients (n=306) participated in the study, including 151 MBP patients and 155 no-MBP patients where the postoperative complications and mortality rates were compared.Results: The anastomotic leakage rate was 2.6% (n=4) in the no-MBP group and 6.0% (n=9) in the MBP group, (p=0.143). Postoperative paralytic ileus rate was 18.5% (n=28) and 5.8% (n=9) in the MBP group and no-MBP group respectively displaying a statistically significant difference (p=0.001). Wound infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and cardiac complication rates also were higher in the MBP group. Overall mortality rate was 1.3% (n=3) in no-MBP group and 2.0% (n=2) in MBP group. Conclusions: The evidence concludes that MBP increases post-operative complications. Therefore, prophylactic MBP in LAR has not been proven to benefit patients. However, further research is necessary to understand the comparative effects of MBP versus no preparation comprehensively.

Effect of Anemia on Tumor Response to Preoperative Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and total rectal mesenteric resection (TME) are the primary treatment options for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), but their efficacy varies. This study aimed to investigate the impact of anemia on the tumor response of patients with LARC receiving preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. This study was a retrospective analysis of clinical and pathological data from patients with LARC who underwent nCRT and TME from January 2019 to May 2022 at a single institution. The tumor response was evaluated based on the tumor regression grade (TRG) and T-stage change of the primary tumor. Hemoglobin concentration was measured and graded to determine the presence of anemia. Anemia was categorized into four groups based on the hemoglobin levels: mild anemia (90-120 g/L), moderate anemia (60-90 g/L), severe anemia (30-60 g/L), and extreme anemia (less than 30 g/L). Finally, tumor response was quantified histologically using the AJCC 8th edition tumor regression grading system for rectal cancer and pre- and post-treatment T-grading. A total of 88 patients with LARC who received nCRT and TME were included in the study, with 17 females and 71 males. Of these patients, 9 were moderately anemic and 37 were mildly anemic. The radiation therapy regimen was administered at a dose of 1.8-2 Gy per fraction, five times a week, for a total dose of 45-50.4 Gy. Capecitabine chemotherapy was also administered orally (825 mg/m2, twice a day) on the days of radiation therapy. Other chemotherapy regimens included XELOX and mFOLFOX6. The TRG was significantly different in anemic patients compared to non-anemic patients (P = 0.039). Only 2 out of 46 anemic patients (4%) showed an excellent response (TRG0), while 8 out of 42 non-anemic patients (19%) showed an excellent response (p = 0.043). There was also a significant difference in the incidence of anemia between cT3 and cT4 stages (p = 0.048), with 44% of cT3 patients and 67% of cT4 patients being anemic. The number of patients with poor response (TRG2-3) decreased as the degree of anemia decreased, but no significant difference was found. The incidence of TRG3 was 11% in patients with moderate anemia and 7% in non-anemic patients (P = 0.863). There was no significant difference in postoperative pathological T-stage between anemic and non-anemic patients. 89% of anemic patients had a pathological stage of ypT3 or less after chemoradiotherapy, while 95% of non-anemic patients did (P = 0.167). The pre- and post-treatment pathological staging did not significantly differ between anemic and non-anemic patients. 67% of anemic patients had descending tumors, while 59.5% of non-anemic patients had descending tumors (p = 0.509). Patients with LARC who have normal hemoglobin concentrations during nCRT have better tumor regression compared to patients with anemia. Additionally, the incidence of anemia was higher among patients with advanced T-stage prior to treatment.

The psoas muscle density as a predictor of postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing rectal cancer resection.

Muscle depletion that impairs normal physiological function in elderly patients leads to poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between total abdominal muscle area (TAMA), total psoas area (TPA), psoas muscle density (PMD), and short-term postoperative complications in elderly patients with rectal cancer. All elderly patients underwent rectal cancer resection with perioperative abdominal computed tomography (CT). Complications were assessed according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Severe complications were defined as grade III-V following the Clavien-Dindo classification. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors of short-term severe postoperative complications. The cohort consisted of 191 patients with a mean age of 73.60 ± 8.81 years. Among them, 138 (72.25%) patients had Clavien-Dindo 0- II, 53 (27.75%) patients had severe postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo III-V), and 1(0.52%) patient died within 30 days of surgery. PMD was significantly higher in the Clavien-Dindo 0-II cohort compared to the Clavien-Dindo III-V cohort (p=0.004). Nevertheless, TAMA and TPA failed to exhibit significant differences. Moreover, the multivariate regression analysis implied that advanced age [OR 1.07 95%CI (1.02-1.13) p=0.013], male [OR 5.03 95%CI (1.76-14.41) p=0.003], high charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score [OR 3.60 95%CI (1.44-9.00) p=0.006], and low PMD [OR 0.94 95%CI (0.88-0.99) p=0.04] were independent risk factors of Clavien-Dindo III-V. Preoperative assessment of the PMD on CT can be a simple and practical method for identifying elderly patients with rectal cancer at risk for severe postoperative complications.

What is the impact of hospital and surgeon volumes on outcomes in rectal cancer surgery?

Evidence for a positive volume-outcome relationship for rectal cancer surgery is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the volume-outcome relationship for rectal cancer surgery at hospital and surgeon level in the English National Health Service (NHS). All patients undergoing a rectal cancer resection in the English NHS between 2015 and 2019 were included. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression was used to model relationships between outcomes and mean annual hospital and surgeon volumes (using a linear plus a quadratic term for volume) with adjustment for patient characteristics. A total of 13 858 patients treated in 166 hospitals were included. Six hospitals (3.6%) performed fewer than 10 rectal cancer resections per year, and 381 surgeons (45.0%) performed fewer than five such resections per year. Patients treated by high-volume surgeons had a reduced length of stay (p = 0.016). No statistically significant volume-outcome relationships were demonstrated for 90-day mortality, 30-day unplanned readmission, unplanned return to theatre, stoma at 18 months following anterior resection, positive circumferential resection margin and 2-year all-cause mortality at either hospital or surgeon level (p values > 0.05). Almost half of colorectal surgeons in England do not meet national guidelines for rectal cancer surgeons to perform a minimum of five major resections annually. However, our results suggest that centralizing rectal cancer surgery with the main focus of increasing operative volume may have limited impact on NHS surgical outcomes. Therefore, quality improvement initiatives should address a wider range of evidence-based process measures, across the multidisciplinary care pathway, to enhance outcomes for patients with rectal cancer.

Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification System: propensity-score matched cohort analysis of accredited supervisors in laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery.

The Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification System (ESSQS) in Japan evaluates the surgical skills required for laparoscopic surgery as an operator as well as a supervisor. This study aimed to demonstrate the benefits of an ESSQS-certified surgeon's participation in laparoscopic rectal resections as a supervisor (assistant or advisor). We retrospectively reviewed laparoscopic resection results for cStage II and III rectal cancer performed at 56 Japanese hospitals between 2014 and 2016. We used propensity score matching to generate paired cohorts with or without an ESSQS-certified supervisor at a one-to-one ratio. The impact of ESSQS-certified supervisors' participation on short-term outcomes was assessed. In the matched cohort, multivariable logistic regression analysis and multivariable regression analysis of postoperative complication rate and intraoperative blood loss were performed to further mitigate the impact of pathological factors. Two groups (n = 399 each) with or without an ESSQS-certified supervisor were well matched by clinical factors. The group with an ESSQS-certified supervisor had lower blood loss (68 mL vs. 98 mL, P = 0.036) and a lower incidence of severe morbidities of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa (8.0% vs. 13.3%, P = 0.016). Multivariable logistic regression analysis and multivariable regression analysis confirmed that the attendance of ESSQS-certified supervisors reduced postoperative complication occurrence (adjusted odds ratio: 2.28, 95% confidence interval: 1.38 - 3.80, P = 0.001) and intraoperative blood loss (estimated difference: -15.7 mL, P = 0.016). This study demonstrated the educational benefits of ESSQS-certified supervisors, including assistants and advisors, evidenced by their superior short-term outcomes.

Predictors and survival outcomes of having less than 12 harvested lymph nodes in proctectomy for rectal cancer.

Current recommendations suggest that a minimum of 12 lymph nodes (LNs) should be harvested during curative rectal cancer resection. We aimed to assess predictors and survival outcomes of harvesting < 12 lymph nodes in rectal cancer surgery. A retrospective case-control analysis of factors associated with harvesting < 12 LNs in rectal cancer surgery was conducted. Data were derived from the National Cancer Database 2010-2019. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were performed to determine predictors of harvesting < 12 LNs. Association between harvesting < 12 LNs and 5-year overall survival (OS) was assessed using Cox regression and Kaplan Meier statistics. 67,529 patients (60.8% male; mean age: 61.2 ± 12.5years) were included. Median number of harvested LNs was 15 (IQR: 11-20); 27.1% of patients had < 12 harvested LNs. Independent predictors of harvesting < 12 LNs were older age (OR: 1.016;p < 0.001), neoadjuvant systemic treatment (OR: 1.522;p < 0.001), neoadjuvant radiation treatment (OR: 1.367;p < 0.001), longer duration of radiation therapy (OR: 1.003;p < 0.001) and abdominoperineal resection (OR: 1.071;p = 0.017). Higher clinical TNM stage and tumor grade, pull-through coloanal anastomosis, and minimally invasive surgery were independently associated with ≥ 12 harvested LNs. < 12 harvested LNs was independently associated with lower 5-year OS (HR: 1.24;p < 0.001) and shorter mean OS (96.7 vs 102.8months;p < 0.001) than ≥ 12 harvested LNs. Older age, open resection, and neoadjuvant therapy were independent predictors of < 12 harvested LNs. Conversely, higher clinical TNM stage and tumor grade, coloanal anastomosis, and minimally invasive surgery were predictive of ≥ 12 harvested LNs. < 12 LNs harvested was associated with lower OS.

A case of one‐stage laparoscopic drainage and ureterocystoneostomy for iatrogenic ureteral injury associated with infected urinoma

IntroductionIatrogenic ureteral injury is a rare but often encountered complication of abdominal and gynecological surgery. This is a case of iatrogenic ureteral injury with infected urinoma treated with one‐stage laparoscopic drainage and ureterocystoneostomy.Case presentationAn 80‐year‐old man with rectal cancer had robot‐assisted low anterior rectum resection and left lateral lymph node dissection after colostomy and preoperative chemoradiotherapy. On the 14th postoperative day, he had a fever, and a noncontrast‐enhanced computed tomography scan revealed a low‐density polycystic area in the left pelvic cavity. Retrograde pyelography revealed contrast medium leaking from the left lower ureter, preventing ureteral stent placement. We identified it as a delayed ureteral injury with infected urinoma and performed laparoscopic one‐stage drainage and ureterocystoneostomy.ConclusionThis study reported a case of one‐stage laparoscopic drainage and ureterocystoneostomy for iatrogenic ureteral injury with infected urinoma.