Glove single-port laparoscopy-assisted transanal total mesorectal excision for low rectal cancer: a preliminary report

PURPOSE: Glove single-port laparoscopy-assisted transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) has been successfully carried out in our medical center. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of this emerging operation. METHODS: This technique was performed by self-made glove single-port laparoscopic platform to radically resect low rectal cancer. Short-term postoperative results, including complications, length of hospital stay, and follow-up results were collected and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: There are five consecutive patients (three males, two females) who underwent this surgery and included in this study. The mean distance from the tumor to the anal verge was 4.8 cm (range 4.0–6.0). The surgery was completed in all cases, and the rectal tumor was removed successfully without conversion; circumferential margins of all the excised specimens were negative. The mean time of operation was 338.00 min (range 280–400). The average number of lymph node dissection was 12.20. The average postoperative hospital stay was 8.60 days. During the follow-up (14.80 ± 1.92 months), all preventive ileostomies were successfully closed in about 3 months after the surgery, all patients had satisfactory anal function, and no tumor recurrence was found. CONCLUSION: Glove single-port laparoscopy-assisted TaTME has a significant effect in specific patients with low rectal cancer, with rapid recovery and high safety. Prospective randomized studies involving more case counts and long-term follow-up results, especially oncologic outcomes, are needed to validate this technique.