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Transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: state of the art

  • Challenges in Coloproctology
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Abstract

Achieving a high-quality total mesorectal excision (TME) resection specimen is a central tenet of curative rectal cancer management. However, operating at the caudal extremity of the pelvis is inherently challenging and a number of patient- and tumour-related factors may increase the risk of obtaining a poor TME specimen and positive resection margins. Transanal TME (TaTME) is an advanced surgical technique developed to overcome the limitations in pelvic exposure and instrumentation of transabdominal surgery. This up-to-date narrative review describes the evolution of TME surgery, the indications for TaTME, current published outcomes, its limitations and future developments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Colorectal Unit, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Butterfield Street, Herston, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    David A. Westwood, Tahleesa J. Cuda, A. E. Ricardo Hamilton, David Clark & Andrew R. L. Stevenson

  2. Holy Spirit Northside Private Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    David Clark & Andrew R. L. Stevenson

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  1. David A. Westwood
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  2. Tahleesa J. Cuda
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  3. A. E. Ricardo Hamilton
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  4. David Clark
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  5. Andrew R. L. Stevenson
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Correspondence to David A. Westwood.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all patients included in the study.

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Westwood, D.A., Cuda, T.J., Hamilton, A.E.R. et al. Transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: state of the art. Tech Coloproctol 22, 649–655 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10151-018-1844-8

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