Simple instruments facilitating achievement of transanal total mesorectal excision in male patients

AIM: To assess the efficacy of a modified approach with transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) using simple customized instruments in male patients with low rectal cancer. METHODS: A total of 115 male patients with low rectal cancer from December 2006 to August 2015 were retrospectively studied. All patients had a bulky tumor (tumor diameter ≥ 40 mm). Forty-one patients (group A) underwent a classical approach of transabdominal total mesorectal excision (TME) and transanal intersphincteric resection (ISR), and the other 74 patients (group B) underwent a modified approach with transabdominal TME, transanal ISR, and taTME. Some simple instruments including modified retractors and an anal dilator with a papilionaceous fixture were used to perform taTME. The operative time, quality of mesorectal excision, circumferential resection margin, local recurrence, and postoperative survival were evaluated. RESULTS: All 115 patients had successful sphincter preservation. The operative time in group B (240 min, range: 160-330 min) was significantly shorter than that in group A (280 min, range: 200-360 min; P = 0.000). Compared with group A, more complete distal mesorectum and total mesorectum were achieved in group B (100% vs 75.6%, P = 0.000; 90.5% vs 70.7%, P = 0.008, respectively). After 46.1 ± 25.6 mo follow-up, group B had a lower local recurrence rate and higher disease-free survival rate compared with group A, but these differences were not statistically significant (5.4% vs 14.6%, P = 0.093; 79.5% vs 65.1%, P = 0.130). CONCLUSION: Retrograde taTME with simple customized instruments can achieve high-quality TME, and it might be an effective and economical alternative for male patients with bulky tumors.