Extended abdominoperineal resection with gluteus maximus flap reconstruction of the pelvic floor for rectal cancer

Background: Intraoperative tumour perforation, positive tumour margins, wound complications and local recurrence are frequent difficulties with conventional abdominoperineal resection (APR) for rectal cancer. An alternative technique is the extended posterior perineal approach with gluteus maximus flap reconstruction of the pelvic floor. The aim of this study was to report the technique and early experience of extended APR in a select cohort of patients.

Methods: The principles of operation are that the mesorectum is not dissected off the levator muscles, the perineal dissection is done in the prone position and the levator muscles are resected en bloc with the anus and lower rectum. The perineal defect is reconstructed with a gluteus maximus flap. Between 2001 and 2005, 28 patients with low rectal cancer were treated accordingly at the Karolinska Hospital.

Results: Two patients had ypT0 tumours, 20 ypT3 and six ypT4 tumours. Bowel perforation occurred in one, the circumferential resection margin (CRM) was positive in two, and four patients had local perineal wound complications. Two patients developed local recurrence after a median follow-up of 16 months.

Conclusion: The extended posterior perineal approach with gluteus maximus flap reconstruction in APR has a low risk of bowel perforation, CRM involvement and local perineal wound complications. The rate of local recurrence may be lower than with conventional APR.