Laparoscopic Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision (taTME) for Rectal Cancer

Proper treatment of adenocarcinoma of the rectum demands a systematic, multidisciplinary approach where surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment. An evolving shift toward minimally invasive surgical approaches for rectal cancer continues to be hampered by the challenges of reliable pelvic exposure and adequate instrumentation for rectal dissection, distal rectal division, and low pelvic anastomosis. The laparoscopic transanal total mesorectal excision surgery has been developed as a novel alternative that provides solutions to many of the limitations of conventional open, laparoscopic and robotic proctectomy. This manuscript will describe the procedure in detail and attempt to define its role as the optimal surgical approach for rectal resection.