PURPOSE: Opinion is divided whether Denonvilliers’fascia lies anterior or posterior to the anatomic fascia propria plane of anterior rectal dissection in total mesorectal excision. This study was designed to evaluate...PURPOSE: Opinion is divided whether Denonvilliers’fascia lies anterior or posterior to the anatomic fascia propria plane of anterior rectal dissection in total mesorectal excision. This study was designed to evaluate this anatomic relationship by assessing the presence or absence of Denonvilliers’fascia on the anterior surface of the extraperitoneal rectum in specimens resected for both nonanterior and anterior rectal cancer in males. METHODS: Surgical specimens were collected prospectively from males undergoing total mesorectal excision for mid and low rectal cancer, with a deep dissection of the anterior extraperitoneal rectum to the pelvic floor. Specimens were histopathologically analyzed using best practice methods for rectal cancer. The anterior aspects of the extraperitoneal rectal sections were examined microscopically for the presence or absence of Denonvilliers’fascia. RESULTS: Thirty rectal specimens were examined. Denonvilliers’fascia was present in 12 (40 percent) and absent in 18 specimens (60 percent). Denonvilliers’fascia was significantly more frequently present when tumor involved (55 percent) rather than spared the anterior rectal quadrant (10 percent; difference between groups 45 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 30-60 percent; P = 0.024, Fisher’s exact test). CONCLUSIONS: When tumors were nonanterior, rectal dissection was conducted on fascia propria in the usual anatomic plane, and Denonvilliers’fascia was not present on the specimen. It was almost exclusively found in anterior tumors, deliberately taken by a radical extra-anatomic anterior dissection in the extramesorectal dissection plane. Denonvilliers’fascia lies anterior to the anatomic fascia propria plane of anterior rectal dissection and is more closely applied to the prostate than the rectum.展开更多
PURPOSE: Conservative anal surgery, with maximum preservation of the anal sphincters and continence, is becoming increasingly possible with the emergence of new sphinctersparing treatments. Many surgeons remain skepti...PURPOSE: Conservative anal surgery, with maximum preservation of the anal sphincters and continence, is becoming increasingly possible with the emergence of new sphinctersparing treatments. Many surgeons remain skeptical, however, of the nature and impact of incontinence after anal surgery. We aimed to characterize the patterns of anal sphincter injury in patients with fecal incontinence after anal surgery. METHODS: We reviewed our fecal incontinence database and studied a subset developing incontinence after anal surgery. Maximum resting and squeeze pressures and the distal highpressure zone to mid anal canal resting pressure gradient were evaluated. Anal ultrasounds were evaluated and specific postoperative lesions were characterized. RESULTS: Patterns of sphincter injury in 93 patients with fecal incontinence after manual dilation, internal sphincterotomy, fistulotomy, and hemorrhoidectomy were studied. The internal sphincter was almost universally injured, in a pattern specific to the underlying procedure. One third of patients had a related surgical external sphincter injury. Two thirds of women had an unrelated obstetric external sphincter injury. The distal resting pressure was typically reduced, with reversal of the normal resting pressure gradient of the anal canal in 89 percent of patients. Maximum squeeze pressure was normal in 52 percent. CONCLUSION: Incontinence after anal surgery is characterized by the virtually universal presence of an internal sphincter injury, which is distal in the high pressure zone, resulting in a reversal of the normal resting pressure gradient in the anal canal. These data support concerns that non sphincter sparing anal surgery leads to fecal incontinence and is increasingly difficult to justify given the availability of modern sphincter sparing approaches.展开更多
INTRODUCTION: Preoperative, long-course chemoradiot-herapy is recommended for rectal cancers involving or threatening the mesorectal resection margin, but tumor response is variable. Some highly radiosensitive cancers...INTRODUCTION: Preoperative, long-course chemoradiot-herapy is recommended for rectal cancers involving or threatening the mesorectal resection margin, but tumor response is variable. Some highly radiosensitive cancers completely regress, leading to reduced local recurrence and improved survival. This study was designed to evaluate the influence of anemia during chemoradiotherapy on tumor response, local and distant recurrence, and overall survival. METHODS: Mean hemoglobins during chemoradiotherapy of consecutive patients with rectal cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy and surgerywere calculated and ranked. Anemia was defined as lowest quartile for males and females. Tumor response was histologically quantified using rectal cancer regression grade. RESULTS: Of 100 patients, 5 females and 20 males were anemic. Nonanemic patients achieved better tumor response (54 percent regression Grade 1) than anemic patients (28 percent, P = 0.028). There were more locally advanced cancers in anemic (48 percent T4) compared with nonanemic patients (21 percent T4), but radiologic T stage did not influence tumor response (50 percent T3 vs. 43 percent T4 regression Grade 1, P = 0.53) or overall survival. Mesorectal margin positivity was less in nonanemic (15 percent) compared with anemic patients (36 percent, P = 0.021). At median follow-up of 39 months, nonanemic patients (7 percent) suffered less local recurrence than anemic patients did (38 percent, P = 0.003). Overall survival at two years was improved in nonanemic (91 percent) compared with anemic patients (64 percent, P = 0.021), but was similar for T3 and T4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with normal hemoglobin during chemoradiotherapy achieved better tumor response, less local recurrence, and improved overall survival compared with anemic patients, independent of radiologic T stage. Correcting anemia before chemoradiotherapy might improve tumor response and oncologic outcomes.展开更多
文摘PURPOSE: Opinion is divided whether Denonvilliers’fascia lies anterior or posterior to the anatomic fascia propria plane of anterior rectal dissection in total mesorectal excision. This study was designed to evaluate this anatomic relationship by assessing the presence or absence of Denonvilliers’fascia on the anterior surface of the extraperitoneal rectum in specimens resected for both nonanterior and anterior rectal cancer in males. METHODS: Surgical specimens were collected prospectively from males undergoing total mesorectal excision for mid and low rectal cancer, with a deep dissection of the anterior extraperitoneal rectum to the pelvic floor. Specimens were histopathologically analyzed using best practice methods for rectal cancer. The anterior aspects of the extraperitoneal rectal sections were examined microscopically for the presence or absence of Denonvilliers’fascia. RESULTS: Thirty rectal specimens were examined. Denonvilliers’fascia was present in 12 (40 percent) and absent in 18 specimens (60 percent). Denonvilliers’fascia was significantly more frequently present when tumor involved (55 percent) rather than spared the anterior rectal quadrant (10 percent; difference between groups 45 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 30-60 percent; P = 0.024, Fisher’s exact test). CONCLUSIONS: When tumors were nonanterior, rectal dissection was conducted on fascia propria in the usual anatomic plane, and Denonvilliers’fascia was not present on the specimen. It was almost exclusively found in anterior tumors, deliberately taken by a radical extra-anatomic anterior dissection in the extramesorectal dissection plane. Denonvilliers’fascia lies anterior to the anatomic fascia propria plane of anterior rectal dissection and is more closely applied to the prostate than the rectum.
文摘PURPOSE: Conservative anal surgery, with maximum preservation of the anal sphincters and continence, is becoming increasingly possible with the emergence of new sphinctersparing treatments. Many surgeons remain skeptical, however, of the nature and impact of incontinence after anal surgery. We aimed to characterize the patterns of anal sphincter injury in patients with fecal incontinence after anal surgery. METHODS: We reviewed our fecal incontinence database and studied a subset developing incontinence after anal surgery. Maximum resting and squeeze pressures and the distal highpressure zone to mid anal canal resting pressure gradient were evaluated. Anal ultrasounds were evaluated and specific postoperative lesions were characterized. RESULTS: Patterns of sphincter injury in 93 patients with fecal incontinence after manual dilation, internal sphincterotomy, fistulotomy, and hemorrhoidectomy were studied. The internal sphincter was almost universally injured, in a pattern specific to the underlying procedure. One third of patients had a related surgical external sphincter injury. Two thirds of women had an unrelated obstetric external sphincter injury. The distal resting pressure was typically reduced, with reversal of the normal resting pressure gradient of the anal canal in 89 percent of patients. Maximum squeeze pressure was normal in 52 percent. CONCLUSION: Incontinence after anal surgery is characterized by the virtually universal presence of an internal sphincter injury, which is distal in the high pressure zone, resulting in a reversal of the normal resting pressure gradient in the anal canal. These data support concerns that non sphincter sparing anal surgery leads to fecal incontinence and is increasingly difficult to justify given the availability of modern sphincter sparing approaches.
文摘INTRODUCTION: Preoperative, long-course chemoradiot-herapy is recommended for rectal cancers involving or threatening the mesorectal resection margin, but tumor response is variable. Some highly radiosensitive cancers completely regress, leading to reduced local recurrence and improved survival. This study was designed to evaluate the influence of anemia during chemoradiotherapy on tumor response, local and distant recurrence, and overall survival. METHODS: Mean hemoglobins during chemoradiotherapy of consecutive patients with rectal cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy and surgerywere calculated and ranked. Anemia was defined as lowest quartile for males and females. Tumor response was histologically quantified using rectal cancer regression grade. RESULTS: Of 100 patients, 5 females and 20 males were anemic. Nonanemic patients achieved better tumor response (54 percent regression Grade 1) than anemic patients (28 percent, P = 0.028). There were more locally advanced cancers in anemic (48 percent T4) compared with nonanemic patients (21 percent T4), but radiologic T stage did not influence tumor response (50 percent T3 vs. 43 percent T4 regression Grade 1, P = 0.53) or overall survival. Mesorectal margin positivity was less in nonanemic (15 percent) compared with anemic patients (36 percent, P = 0.021). At median follow-up of 39 months, nonanemic patients (7 percent) suffered less local recurrence than anemic patients did (38 percent, P = 0.003). Overall survival at two years was improved in nonanemic (91 percent) compared with anemic patients (64 percent, P = 0.021), but was similar for T3 and T4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with normal hemoglobin during chemoradiotherapy achieved better tumor response, less local recurrence, and improved overall survival compared with anemic patients, independent of radiologic T stage. Correcting anemia before chemoradiotherapy might improve tumor response and oncologic outcomes.
