Ultra-low anterior resection for low rectal cancer: five key tips to make it easy

The primary treatment for rectal cancer is still surgery. Surgery however, may be either preceded or followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy as and when needed. Good surgery on its own when applied appropriately is associated with a very low rate of local recurrence. Bad surgery however, is associated with a high risk of local and systemic recurrence. The well-performed ultra-low anterior resection with total mesorectal clearance has been shown to be the most important step in the treatment of a low rectal cancer. The author details five key tips to make the performance of an ultra-low anterior resection easy. These five key tips are: tip 1 Decide on the best approach for your particular patient before surgery; tip 2 The inferior mesenteric artery is crucial in obtaining the right dissection plane; tip 3 The sigmoid colon should be used for construction of the J-pouch whenever possible; tip 4 Use of a good light source is the key to obtaining a good idea of where to operate and to keeping to the right planes; tip 5 The last key to making surgery easier is to have a good head and good hands. Surgeons must know precisely the reasons why they do what they do in the way they do. Surgery which is difficult may be expected to carry with it more risks and therefore poorer results. Surgery which goes smoothly and is easy is usually rewarded with good results. Surgeons should try to make their surgery easier and the tips offered here are steps that will do this.