Plastic and reconstructive surgery approaches in the management of anal cancer

Various reliable reconstructive options are available for treatment of perineal and perianal skin and soft tissue defects resulting from tumor ablation. Indications for TAR include the following: very low rectal cancers, in which low anterior resection or resection with coloanal anastomosis is not possible: persistent or recurrent anal cancer that has failed to respond to chemoradiation therapy; and previous rectal excision with either recurring colostomy complications or an unacceptable quality of life with a stoma. Of course, adequate surgical oncologic principles must not be compromised to enhance sphincter reconstruction. Either primary reconstruction at the time of cancer excision or secondary reconstruction at a later date is an acceptable alternative. Most investigators believe that primary reconstruction is technically easier and associated with fewer complications. Secondary reconstruction provides the advantage of oncologic certainty. Double dynamic graciloplasty after APR has proved to be anoncologically sound procedure with a good chance of continence and a life without a stoma in most patients. Finally, the preliminary experience with new techniques of electrode implants encourages further application. In most patients who have rectal cancer, a sphincter-saving resection can avoid the need for a permanent stoma. Very low rectal tumors, however, still require an APR as the treatment of choice when a safe coloanal anastomosisis not possible. In recent years, several authors have reported their experience on sphincteric reconstruction after APR. Most of these authors used gracilis muscles transposed from the thigh to the perineum (graciloplasty) to surround a coloperineal anastomosis after pull-through of the distal colon. The best way to achieve fecal continence is to obtain a mechanically sufficient contraction of the sphincter. Electrostimulation of the transposed gracilis muscles creates an essential framework for their postoperative muscular growth and contractility. In particular, adoption of continuous low-frequency stimulation has proved to be effective in increasing fatigue resistance of the transposed muscles, allowing their continuous "pseudotonic" contraction. Despite the general acceptance of the efficacy of this scheme, there are significant variations in various authors' experiences pertaining to graciloplasty configuration, surgical timing of resection and transposition, and electrostimulation device use and implantation.