Transanal minimally invasive surgery for local excision of early rectal tumor

Introduction: Local excision (LE) is used in early rectal cancer and other pathologies for diagnostic purposes and curative treatment, as well as for palliative surgery in patients who are medically unfit for radical resection. Recently, transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) has been increasingly accepted as a means for performing LE. Here, we present a TAMIS technique for LE to which endoscopic submucosal dissection was applied.

Materials and surgical technique: We used conventional laparoscopic instruments, including a 10-mm 30° camera. A GelPOINT Path® was introduced into the anal canal to maintain stable pneumorectum and valve-free access. After injecting MucoUp® (SI-4404) into the submucosal layer at the edge of the tumor, we marked dots on the mucosa with cautery using the point of the monopolar diathermy L-hook; we then performed circumferential mucosal incision and submucosal dissection. The remaining defects do not always have to be sutured.

Discussion: TAMIS for LE was performed for seven patients with no postoperative complication and mortality. One lesion required full-thickness resection, one lesion required partial full-thickness resection, and five lesions were dissected completely beneath the submucosal layer. Based on the pathological results, three patients underwent conventional radical resections. One patient had local recurrence at the 8-month follow-up and underwent endoscopic mucosal resection. TAMIS may be a promising option for LE that provides acceptable oncological outcomes and benefits to quality of life.