Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
12:45
Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2022
A single-institution approach to total pelvic exenteration.
Ravi J Chokshi1, Jeffrey Fowler, David Cohn
1Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA. RaviJChokshi@gmail.com
The American Surgeon
|January 26, 2012
Summary
Total pelvic exenteration (TPE) is a radical surgery. This study details TPE techniques and outcomes, finding improved survival for colorectal cancer patients undergoing TPE.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Oncology
- Pelvic Malignancies
Background:
- Total pelvic exenteration (TPE) is a complex radical surgical procedure first described in 1948.
- Surgical innovations and understanding of complications have refined TPE techniques over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the institutional approach and outcomes of total pelvic exenteration.
- To analyze TPE outcomes based on tumor histology, comparing colorectal and noncolorectal origins.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 53 patients who underwent TPE between 2004 and 2010.
- Patients were categorized into colorectal (n=36) and noncolorectal (n=17) groups for comparative analysis.
Main Results:
- Demographics, operative time, length of stay, and complication rates were comparable between colorectal and noncolorectal groups.
- Median survival was significantly longer for the colorectal group (21.4 months) compared to the noncolorectal group (6.9 months).
Conclusions:
- Total pelvic exenteration for colorectal tumors demonstrates improved survival outcomes compared to TPE for other pelvic malignancies.
- While associated with high morbidity, TPE can achieve 0% perioperative mortality with careful patient selection and surgical technique.