[Study of postoperative anorectal dynamics in ultra-low rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic...

To study postoperative anorectal dynamic change in ultra-low rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic intersphincteric resection.

Clinical and follow-up data of 26 ultra-low rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic intersphincteric resection in our department from January 2007 to January 2013 were retrospectively analyzed (observation group). Thirty rectal cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic low anterior resection by the same surgical team in the same period from the Medical Record Room were randomly extracted as control group. The observation indexes included preoperative and postoperative anal resting pressure(ARP), anal maximum squeeze pressure (AMSP), rectal maximum tolerable volume (RMTV), rectal anal inhibition reflex (RAIR) and Wexner anal function scores (0 means normal).

There were no significant differences in clinical baseline data between the two groups(all P>0.05), except the distance from lower edge of tumor to dentate line [(2.9±0.4) cm in observation group vs. (5.0±0.5) cm in control group, P=0.000]. There were no differences in preoperative anorectal manometry and Wexner anal function score between two groups (all P>0.05). The average follow-up time in observation group and control group was 14.5 months and 14.0 months respectively. Three months after operation, significant differences between observation group and control group (all P=0.000) were as follows: defecation frequency [(6.0±1.5) times/day vs. (2.5±1.0) times/day], Wexner anal function score(5.0±0.9 vs. 2.9±1.2), ARP [(32.0±6.7) mmHg vs. (45.0±8.2) mmHg], AMSP [(90.1±6.9) mmHg vs. (110.0±7.5) mmHg], RMTV [(61.0±7.2) ml vs. (91.1±7.5) ml] and positive rate of RAIR [11.5%(3/26) vs. 66.7%(20/30)]. One year after surgery, there were no significant differences in defecation frequency, Wexner anal function scores, ARP, AMSP and RMTV between the two groups (all P>0.05), however the difference in positive rate of RAIR was still significant[38.5%(10/26) vs. 93.3%(28/30), P=0.000].

Laparoscopic intersphincteric resection for ultra- low rectal cancer can achieve satisfactory anorectal dynamic effect.