Peter J. Lee

Single-stage totally robotic dissection for rectal cancer surgery: technique and short-term outcome in 50 consecutive patients.

PURPOSE: To overcome the pitfalls of laparoscopy, a robotic system has been introduced in rectal cancer surgery. However, there is no standard procedure to maximize the advantages of the da Vinci® S Surgical System. Therefore, we describe our technique of applying the robotic system during all of the steps of dissection in rectal cancer surgery and the short-term outcome. METHODS: Prospectively collected data were reviewed from 50 consecutive patients who underwent single-stage, totally robotic dissection for rectal cancer resection between July 2007 and June 2008. Robotic dissection was performed following these steps: 1) ligation of the inferior mesenteric vessels and medial to lateral dissection, 2) mobilization of the sigmoid/descending/splenic flexure colon, and 3) rectal dissection. The remaining steps including rectal transection and anastomosis were performed by a conventional laparoscopic method. RESULTS: There were 32 (64%) men and 18 (36%) women. The mean distance from the anal verge to the tumor margin was 7.3 (range, 2–13) cm. The conversion rate was 0%. The mean operative time was 304.8 (range, 190–485) minutes, and 20.6 (range, 6–48) lymph nodes were harvested. The circumferential margin was positive in one patient. The length of hospital stay after surgery was 9.2 (range, 5–24) days. Anastomotic leak rate was 8.3%, and all of the patients with leakage were managed conservatively. CONCLUSIONS: Single-stage robotic dissection for rectal cancer surgery is feasible, and its short-term outcome is acceptable. Our technique can be a suitable procedure to maximize the advantages of the da Vinci® system.

Sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease

Background  Sacrococcygeal pilonidal is a common disease in active young adults. Many surgical methods have been proposed, although no clear consensus as to the optimal treatment has been reported. This review looks at the different surgical techniques available and examines the reported results of primary healing, recurrent disease and complications (including delayed healing).

Sacrectomy via the abdominal approach during pelvic exenteration.

BACKGROUND: Sacrectomy is sometimes necessary to achieve negative margins in pelvic exenteration procedures. This is typically done with the patient in the prone position. Some of the limitations of the prone approach include its limited access to the lateral pelvic sidewall structures and suboptimal vascular control in comparison with the access and the vascular control of a combined abdominolithotomy approach. OBJECTIVE: This article describes a technique for performing a low sacrectomy (below the sacroiliac joint) through a transabdominal approach without the need to turn the patient prone intraoperatively. PROCEDURE: The procedure involves 2 approaches: abdominal and perineal. The abdominal phase incorporates the complete mobilization of both lateral pelvic sidewalls and their neurovascular bundles to the intended lateral margins. The anterior margin is dependent on the extent of tumor resection necessary and may incorporate the vagina, bladder, prostate, or even part of the pubic bone. The perineal phase involves freeing all the muscular and ligamentous attachments of the posterior sacrum up to the level of S2/3. The sacrectomy is completed by using an osteotome transabdominally. It begins in the midline and extends laterally until the ischial spine and incorporates the sacrospinous through to the sacrotuberous ligaments and the whole pelvic floor. CONCLUSIONS: Transabdominal low sacrectomy is technically feasible and may be associated with numerous practical advantages in comparison with a low sacrectomy performed with the patient in the prone position for involvement of the lower half of the sacrum.

Urological leaks after pelvic exenterations comparing formation of colonic and ileal conduits

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess possible risk factors for urinary leakage of a newly formed urinary conduit after a partial or total pelvic exenteration. METHODS An analysis was conducted from prospectively collected data of patients who underwent a pelvic exenteration with conduit formation for advanced and recurrent pelvic cancer. RESULTS Of 232 patients undergoing a pelvic exenteration, 74 (32%) had a conduit formed. Of these, 47 (64%) had an ileal conduit compared with 27 (36%) a colonic conduit. Twelve (16%) patients developed a leak, of which nine occurred within the first month. Factors associated with a conduit leak included involvement of R2 surgical margins (43%), the magnitude of the exenteration and a current cardiovascular medical history (27%). Leaks were not found to be associated with either radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The 30-day leak rate for ileal conduits was 17% (8/47) and 4% (1/27) for colonic conduits with enterocutaneous fistula only occurring in the ileal conduit group (2/47). Fistula, drained collections and sepsis occurred in 40% of ileal and 19% of colonic conduits (p < 0.01). Patients with a conduit leak had a longer length of stay (59 versus 23 days, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Urine leaks after conduit formation in association with exenterations are relatively common with a prolonged length of hospital stay. Positive surgical margins and exenterations involving all four quadrants of the pelvis were associated with higher leak rates. There was no evidence of a difference between ileal and colonic conduits and number of leaks. However colonic conduits had less total complications including sepsis, leak and pelvic collections with comparatively no complications of a small bowel fistula.

Survival after pelvic exenteration for T4 rectal cancer

The purpose of this study was to analyse retrospectively the pooled results after pelvic exenteration for locally advanced T4 rectal cancer. Historically, patients with T4 rectal cancers requiring pelvic exenteration have been offered only palliative surgery or no operation.

The Outcomes and Patterns of Treatment Failure After Surgery for Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer

Objective: To assess the outcomes and patterns of treatment failure of patients who underwent pelvic exenteration surgery for recurrent rectal cancer. Background: Despite advances in the management of rectal cancer, local recurrence still occurs. For appropriately selected patients, pelvic exenteration surgery can achieve long-term disease control. Methods: Prospectively maintained databases of 5 high volume institutions for pelvic exenteration surgery were reviewed and data combined. We assessed the combined endpoints of overall 5-year survival, cancer-specific 5-year mortality, local recurrence, and the development of metastatic disease. Results: Five hundred thirty-three patients who had undergone surgery for locally recurrent rectal cancer were identified. Five-year cancer-specific survival for patients with a complete (R0) resection is 44%, which was achieved in 59% of patients. For those with R1 and R2 resections, the 5-year survival was 26% and 10%, respectively. Radical resection required sacrectomy in 170 patients (32%), and total cystectomy in 105 patients (20%). Treatment failure included local recurrence alone in 75 patients (14%) and systemic metastases with or without local recurrence in 226 patients (42%). Chemoradiotherapy before exenteration was associated with a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in overall 5-year cancer-specific survival for those patients with an R0 resection. Postoperative chemotherapy did not alter outcomes. Conclusions: R0 resection of the pelvic recurrence is the most significant factor affecting overall and disease-free survival. The surgery is complex and often highly morbid, and where possible patients should be given perioperative chemoradiotherapy. Further investigations are required to determine the role of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Early experience of reinforcing the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract procedure with a bioprosthetic graft (BioLIFT) for anal fistula

The BioLIFT procedure involves placing a bioprosthetic graft in the intersphincteric space during the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) procedure. Our study was aimed to describe our experience in the BioLIFT procedure.

Pelvic exenteration for recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the pelvic organs arising from the cloaca – a single institution's experience over 16 years

Minimal data are available on the role of pelvic exenteration in patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the pelvic organs. This study aimed to highlight our experience of pelvic exenteration in patients with recurrent and re‐recurrent SCC of the pelvic organs.

Outcomes of Pelvic Exenteration with en Bloc Partial or Complete Pubic Bone Excision for Locally Advanced Primary or Recurrent Pelvic Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Neoplasms infiltrating the pubic bone have until recently been considered a contraindication to surgery. Paucity of existing published data in regard to surgical techniques and outcomes exist. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to address outcomes of our recently published technique for en bloc composite pubic bone excision during pelvic exenteration. DESIGN: A prospective database was reviewed to identify patients who underwent a partial or complete pubic bone composite excision over a 12-year period. SETTINGS: This study was conducted at a tertiary level exenteration unit. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes measured were resection margin and survival. Secondary outcomes included patient and operative demographics, type of cancer, extent of pubic bone excision, morbidity, and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of over 500 patients undergoing exenterations (mean age, 57.9; 20 males) underwent en bloc complete (11 patients) or partial (18 patients) composite pubic bone excision. Twenty-two patients (76%) underwent resection for recurrent as opposed to advanced primary malignant disease of which rectal adenocarcinoma was the most common followed by squamous-cell carcinoma. The median operating time was 10.5 (range, 6–15) hours, and median blood loss was 2971 (range, 300–8600) mL. Seventeen (59%) patients had a concurrent sacrectomy performed mainly S3 and below. A total cystectomy was performed in 26 patients (90%). Fifteen of 20 male patients (75%) had a perineal urethrectomy. A clear (R0) resection margin was achieved in 22 patients (76%) with a 5-year overall survival of 53% after a median follow-up of 3.2 years (r = 1.4–12.3 years). There was no 30-day mortality. Seventy percent of patients experienced morbidity with a pelvic collection the most common. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited because it was a retrospective review, it occurred at a single site, and it used a small heterogeneous sample. CONCLUSION: Within the realm of evolving exenteration surgery, en bloc composite pubic bone excision offers results comparable to central, lateral, and posterior compartment excisions, and, as such, is a reasonable strategy in the management of neoplasms infiltrating the pubic bone.

Cohort study of long-term survival and quality of life following pelvic exenteration: Survival and quality of life after pelvic exenteration

Pelvic exenteration (PE) is the preferred treatment available for selected patients diagnosed with locally advanced or recurrent cancer confined to the pelvis. Currently, the majority of the literature reports only on short‐term survival and quality‐of‐life (QoL) outcomes. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to describe long‐term survival and QoL outcomes following PE.