Retrorectal tumors: a case series.
OBJECTIVE
Retrorectal masses are rarely encountered in surgical practice, and they arise from congenital remnants, and from osteogenic, neurogenic, inflammatory, or metastatic processes. The majority of these masses are benign but many can be malignant, so they need to be treated with aggressive surgical management.


METHODS
In this case series, eight patients with retrorectal masses of various etiologies are described, with particular emphasis on diagnosis and surgical treatment.


RESULTS
In our series, we noted one duplication cyst, one tailgut cyst, one epidermoid cyst, one teratoma, one gastrointestinal stromal tumor, one epithelial malignant tumor, one inflammatory mass, and one retrorectal mass of as yet unknown origin. In three patients, complete excision via posterior sagittal approach was performed, one underwent abdominoperineal en-block proctectomy, two were only biopsied for neoadjuvant therapy, and two are waiting for operation.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery is the main treatment of choice, and the surgical strategy should be decided according to the localization and nature of the retrorectal mass.
Menteş
B Bülent
BB
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. okurukahveci@yahoo.com
Kurukahvecioğlu
Osman
O
Ege
Bahadir
B
Karamercan
Ahmet
A
Leventoğlu
Sezai
S
Yazicioğlu
Omer
O
Oğuz
Mehmet
M
D000328:Adult; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome