TransAnal Total Mesorectal Excision (TaTME) in Peru: Case series

Area of Science:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) is an emerging technique for rectal cancer treatment.
• Evaluating the feasibility and safety of TaTME in a Latin American setting is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and demonstrate the feasibility and safety of TaTME in short-term outcomes.
• To assess the pathological results of TaTME in patients with middle and inferior rectal cancer.

Main Methods:

• A case series including retrospective and prospective data from January 2015 to March 2020.
• Analysis of patient and tumor characteristics, operative details, postoperative complications, and pathological results.
• Nineteen patients with middle and inferior rectal cancer underwent TaTME.

Main Results:

• No conversions to open surgery were reported.
• The overall postoperative complication rate was 21.1%, with 10.5% anastomotic leakage and 5.3% mortality.
• 94.5% of patients had optimal total mesorectal excision (TME) specimens, with a low rate of positive margins (5.3%).

Conclusions:

• TaTME is a safe and feasible surgical option for rectal cancer.
• The technique yields good short-term outcomes and high-quality pathological specimens.
• TaTME demonstrates potential in improving rectal cancer treatment in resource-limited settings.