Leela M. Prasad

Perianal abscesses and fistulas. A study of 1023 patients.

In a five and one-half year period, 1023 patients with anorectal abscesses and fistulas were treated. Under regional anesthesia the abscesses were unroofed and debrided and a primary fistulotomy was performed whenever a low fistula was identified. In 355 (34.7 per cent) an internal fistulous opening was demonstrated at the time of abscess drainage. Thirty-two patients had suprashincteric fistulas and underwent two-stage fistulotomy using a seton. Perianal abscesses were encountered in 42.7 per cent of the patients, followed by ischiorectal (22.7 per cent), intersphincteric (21.4 per cent), and supralevator (7.33 per cent). The patients with supralevator and intersphincteric abscesses had a high incidence of fistula identified during abscess drainage. The recurrence rates were 3.7 per cent in the group with abscess drainage only and 1.8 per cent in the group that had primary fistulotomy along with abscess drainage. The follow-up period averaged 36 months. To accomplish adequate drainage and identify the deeper components and associated fistulous opening (34.7 per cent of the entire group), careful examination under regional anesthesia is recommended. Early aggressive treatment of an anorectal abscess and fistula significantly reduces the possibility of recurrent abscesses and/or the need for further surgery.

Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer: The Potential Advantage of Robotic Assistance

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of the da Vinci S HD robotic system in mesorectal excision for rectal adenocarcinoma, with the aim to identify areas of potential advantage for the robot in this procedure. METHODS: This study was conducted as a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of 44 consecutive cases of robot-assisted mesorectal excision for rectal adenocarcinoma performed between August 2005 and February 2010. Patient demographics, perioperative outcomes, and complications were evaluated and compared with similar published reports and relevant literature. RESULTS: There were 28 (63.6%) men and 16 (36.4%) women, with a mean age of 63 years. The majority of patients were either overweight or obese and 88.7% of lesions were in the mid or low rectum. We performed 36 low anterior resections (6 intersphincteric) and 8 abdominoperineal resections with a median blood loss of 150 mL (range, 50–1000), a median operative time of 347 minutes (range, 155–510), and a median length of stay of 5 days (range, 3–36). The median lymph node yield was 14 (range, 5–45) and the circumferential resection margin was negative in all patients. We had 1 distal margin positivity (2.7%), 2 anastomotic leaks (5.6%), 1 death (2.7%), and 2 conversions (4.5%) to the open approach. No robot-associated morbidity occurred in this series. CONCLUSIONS: This series compares favorably with similar published reports with regard to the safety and feasibility of robotic assistance in total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. The lower conversion rates reported for robotic rectal resection compared with laparoscopy require validation in large randomized trials.

Parasacrococcygeal approach for the resection of retrorectal developmental cysts

Congenital developmental cysts are the most common retrorectal tumors. Five adult patients, two men and three women, with congenital developmental cysts were operated on via a posterolateral approach through a parasacrococcygeal incision. All wounds healed primarily with no infection or other complications. Recurrent perianal infections and repeated anorectal operations suggest the possibility of retrorectal growths; thus diagnosis requires physician awareness. Computerized tomography is the best preoperative diagnostic test to delineate anatomy and to rule out bony involvement. Because of an infection rate of approximately 30 percent, as well as the presence of symptoms and malignancy in 8 percent of the patients, surgical excision is the treatment of choice. The authors use a posterolateral approach that provides excellent exposure and obviates the need for removal of the coccyx or transection of the sphincter muscle. The authors believe this to be the procedure of choice for excision of retrorectal cystic lesions.

Recurrent Anorectal Abscesses

A prospective study of 100 recurrent anorectal abscesses in 97 patients was carried out to elucidate the cause of recurrence. Sixty-four patients had had one, 12 had had two, and the rest had had more than two prior abscesses. In 32 patients, the previous diagnosis was erroneous; the patients had hidradenitis suppurativa which was excised. In 68 patients, the cause of recurrence was insufficient prior treatment. Thirty-one patients (45 per cent) had fistulous abscesses requiring fistulotomy. Twenty-two patients (32 per cent) had large abscesses associated with fistula necessitating unroofing of the abscess along with fistulotomy. In 15 patients (22 per cent), no associated fistula was detected, but they were found to have missed components (i.e., ischiorectal, supralevator, postanal abscesses) and were successfully treated with drainage of the missed abscess component. All recurrent abscesses must be examined carefully under anesthesia to identify associated fistulas or missed components, or to exclude hidradenitis suppurativa.

Ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract: early results of a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Transsphincteric fistulotomy is associated with a variable degree of fecal incontinence that is directly related to the thickness of the sphincter mechanism overlying the fistula. Staged fistulotomy with seton or the use of cutting seton designed to reduce the proportionate incontinence rates have failed to do so. This has resulted in attempts to find novel sphincter-sparing techniques in the past 2 decades including draining seton, fibrin sealant, anal fistula plug, dermal advancement, and endorectal advancement flaps. These operations have a variable success rates of 30% to 80% reported in the literature. OBJECTIVE: In 2007, Rojanasakul from Thailand demonstrated a novel technique, ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract, and reported a 94% success rate in a small series. Since then, a few other small cohorts of patients have been reported in the literature with success rates varying from 57% to 82%. An institutional review board-approved study was proposed to measure our results and compare them with the published data. DESIGN: This study was undertaken to evaluate the success of ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract procedures in a group of unselected transsphincteric fistulas deemed unsuitable for lay-open fistulotomy. SETTING: The procedure was performed in 3 different settings: a public institution, a major university hospital, and a large private hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 40 patients underwent 41 ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract procedures performed by 6 Board-certified colon and rectal surgeons. RESULTS: In a mean follow-up of 18 weeks, 74% of the patients achieved healing. In patients who underwent ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract as their primary procedure, the healing rate was 90%. The limitation of this study is its “case series” nature and the short mean follow-up period of 18 weeks. CONCLUSION: Ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract has had excellent success in transsphincteric fistulas in multiple small series. A larger number of patients and longer follow-up period are needed to validate the early favorable results.

A comparison of open and robotic total mesorectal excision for rectal adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study was designed to compare open with robot-assisted total mesorectal excision for rectal adenocarcinoma. METHODS: With use of predefined exclusion criteria, all consecutive laparoscopic-assisted (51 patients) and robot-assisted (36 patients) rectal resections for adenocarcinoma from August 2005 to November 2009 at a single institution were considered. Hand-assisted laparoscopy was used for splenic flexure mobilization in all cases. Patients were assigned into robotic and open groups on the basis of the technique used for total mesorectal excision. All 36 robot-assisted resections had the total mesorectal excision performed with robotic assistance and were included in the robotic group. Forty-six of the 51 patients who received a laparoscopic-assisted procedure had the total mesorectal excision performed through the hand port using open surgical technique and were included in the open group. Both groups were compared with respect to patient demographics, perioperative outcomes, and pathology. RESULTS: The robotic and open groups were comparable in age, sex, body mass index, history of prior abdominal surgery, ASA class, number of patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiation, and tumor stage. There were more abdominoperineal resections (P = .019) and more low and mid rectal tumors (P = .007) in the robotic group. Total procedure time was longer in the robotic group (P = .003), but blood loss was less (P = .036). Lymph node yield, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and length of stay were all comparable. There were 3 positive circumferential margins in the open group vs none in the robotic group, but this did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic total mesorectal excision is feasible and safe, and is comparable to open total mesorectal excision in terms of perioperative and pathological outcomes. The longer operative time associated with robotic total mesorectal excision could decrease as experience with this relatively new technique increases. Large randomized trials are necessary to validate the potential benefits of less blood loss and lower margin positivity rates observed in this study.

Robotic cylindrical abdominoperineal resection with transabdominal levator transection.

PURPOSE: The extralevator approach to abdominoperineal resection is an emerging surgical option for patients with low rectal cancer. This technique involves a wide excision of the levator muscles that could reduce the high incidence of circumferential margin positivity associated with conventional abdominoperineal resections. We present our technique of robotic cylindrical abdominoperineal resection where the daVinci robot is used to perform a controlled transection of the levator muscles transabdominally under direct visualization. METHODS: Five patients with rectal adenocarcinoma within 5 cm of the anal verge underwent robot-assisted cylindrical abdominoperineal resection. Safety, feasibility, immediate postoperative outcomes, and pathological adequacy of the specimen were assessed. RESULTS: The procedure was successfully completed in all 5 patients without any intraoperative complications, robot-associated morbidity, or conversion to the open approach. The mean operative time and length of hospital stay were 343 minutes and 5.8 days. An intact mesorectal envelope and negative circumferential margin was achieved in all cases. All specimens had a cylindrical shape. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic assistance enables the transabdominal transection of the levator muscles in cylindrical abdominoperineal resection, with acceptable perioperative and pathological outcomes. Further studies are essential to objectively define the safety, efficacy, and long-term results of this new technique.

Cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic vs open resection for colon and rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Whether laparoscopic surgery for colon and rectal cancer is cost-effective in comparison with open surgery remains unclear, because laparoscopic surgery results in shorter hospital stays but is associated with increased equipment costs. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic versus open surgery for colon and rectal cancer, incorporating factors not included in previous cost-effectiveness studies. DESIGN: A decision analysis model was constructed, and extensive sensitivity analyses were performed to test the assumptions of the model. SETTING: Data were taken from previously published studies; data from large randomized trials were used whenever possible as inputs into the model. PATIENTS: Patients enrolled in the trials from which data were gathered for the model. INTERVENTIONS: There were no interventions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measured was the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic versus open surgery for colon and rectal cancer, expressed as cost per quality-adjusted life-year. RESULTS: Laparoscopic resection results in savings of

Supralevator abscess: Diagnosis and Treatment

4283 and essentially no difference in quality-adjusted life-years (0.001 more quality-adjusted life-years than open resection). Sensitivity analyses indicate that laparoscopic surgery is cost-effective at <

A lifelike patient simulator for teaching robotic colorectal surgery: how to acquire skills for robotic rectal dissection

50,000 per quality-adjusted life-year under almost all conditions. The only circumstance that affects the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery is postoperative hernia rates. Because of the additional time off work for hernia repair, laparoscopic resection is cost-effective only if it results in a hernia rate less than or equal to open surgery. For all other variables, the laparoscopic approach remains less costly than the open approach with no difference in quality of life. LIMITATIONS: The model relies on data from other studies, rather than being an independent trial designed to specifically collect these data. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic resection for colon and rectal cancer results in decreased costs and equivalent quality of life, making it the preferred approach in suitable patients.