title: Safety and feasibility of laparoscopic intersphincteric resection for very low rectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic surgery has been reported to be one of the approaches for total mesorectal excision (TME) in rectal cancer surgery. Intersphincteric resection (ISR) has been reported as a promising method for sphincter-preserving operation in selected patients with very low rectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2005 to December 2008, 35 patients with very low rectal cancer underwent laparoscopic TME with ISR. The results were compared retrospectively with those of previous open TME with ISR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Conversion to open surgery was necessary in one (3%) patient. The median operation time was 293 min and median estimated blood loss was 40 ml. The pelvic plexus was completely preserved in 32 patients. There was no mortality. Postoperative complications occurred in three (9%) patients. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 17 days. Macroscopic complete mesorectal excision was achieved in all cases. Complete resection (R0) was achieved in 34 patients. Clinical lymph node stage, operation time, and blood loss were significantly different between the laparoscopic group and open group, but the differences of other factors were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic TME with ISR is technically feasible and a safe alternative to laparotomy with favorable short-term postoperative outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Cancer Institute Hospital, 3-10-6 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan. yoshiya.fujimoto@jfcr.or.jp
authors.forename: Yoshiya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akiyoshi
authors.forename: Hiroya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuroyanagi
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oya
authors.forename: Toshiharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011351:Proctoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome