Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the impact of primary full-thickness transanal excision (TAE) on the morbidity rate following radical rectal resection for cancer.
Method: Fourteen consecutive patients underwent radical resection for lower third rectal cancer following full-thickness TAE without closure of the defect. They were compared with 25 matched patients from a prospective database of 275 rectal resections who had undergone radical resection without previous TAE for lower third rectal cancer (control group). The confounding factors were: age, sex, body mass index (BMI), classification according to the American Society of Anaesthesiologists, administration of neoadjuvant radiotherapy before rectal resection, tumour stage and type of surgical procedure.
Results: There were no deaths. Overall morbidity was 64.3% in the TAE group and 32% in the control group (P = 0.112). Surgical complications were significantly more frequent in the former (57.1%vs 20%; P = 0.048). The frequency of specific surgical site complications, including anastomotic complications and pelvic abscess formation requiring surgical drainage, was significantly higher in the TAE group than in the control group (42.8%vs 8%; P = 0.032). In univariate analysis, the only factors associated with specific surgical site complications were BMI > 27 and TAE before rectal resection.
Conclusion: This case-matched study suggests that previous full-thickness TAE increases the risk of surgical complications after radical resection for lower third rectal cancer, including anastomotic dehiscence and pelvic sepsis.
© 2011 The Authors. Colorectal Disease © 2011 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.