Summary: We clarify the significance of total mesorectal excision (TME), lateral lymphadenectomy (LLA), and of autonomic nerve preservation (ANP) compared to conventional surgery (CVS), for lower rectal cancer. All 458 patients curatively resected between 1962 and 1997 were retrospectively investigated. In Period I from 1962-1974, when CVS only was performed, in Period II from 1975-1984, THE or THE+LLA was performed, and in Period III from 1985-1997, THE+ANP, THE+ANP+LLA, or THE+LLA was performed. In Dukes A+B disease, there was no significant difference among the three periods, regardless of operation methods. In Dukes C disease, in Period I, CVS (42 patients: pts) had a local recurrence (LR) rate of 45.2% and 5-year disease-free survival (5YDFS) rate of 33.3%. In Period II, THE+LLA (82 pts) had a lower LR rate of 26.8% (p=0.0628) and higher 5YDFS 51.0% (p<0.05) vs CVS. In Period III, THE+ANP (12 pts) had LR 25.0% and 5YDFS 55.6%, TME+ANP+LLA (45 pts) had LR 13.3% (p<0.005, vs CVS) and 5YDFS 56.1 % (p<0.01, vs CVS), and THE+LLA (18 pts) had LR 16.7% (p<0.05, vs CVS) and 5YDFS 20.8%. Also, CVS had the lowest curability rate 64.8% and the highest mortality rate 7.2%. THE and/or LLA was significant for reducing LR and improving survival in patients with Dukes C lower rectal cancer, compared to CVS. ANP was beneficial with LLA. THE+ANP was suitable for Dukes A or B disease.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic total colectomy for ulcerative colitis has allowed less invasive operations in acute severe colitis and poor risk, and has not yet been widely applied for the reason of prolong the operating time in comparison with open surgery. We present the advantages of the use of the LigaSure Atlas vessel sealing for vascular control during laparoscopic surgery. A retrospective study was conducted to compare 15 patients who underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic total colectomy using an ultrasonic coagulator from January 1988 to September 2002 (US group) with 18 patients who were operated using LigaSure Atlas (LS group) from October 2002 to December 2003. There was no significant difference in the background factors of patients between both groups. The operating time was 225 +/- 58 min in the LS group and less than 280 +/- 105 min in the US group. Intraoperative blood loss was 91 +/- 22 ml in the LS group and less than 212 +/- 178 ml in the US group. Postoperative bleeding did not occur in the LS group, but occurred in 1 patient in the US group (6.6%) and this patient required re-operation. Postoperative seroma formation in the abdomen was found in 3 patients of the US group (20%). The procedure using LigaSure Atlas reduced the operating time, intraoperative bleeding and operator's stress in comparison with standard ultrasonic coagulation.

Summary: The aim of this study was designed to investigate the outcome from using the new circular stapling device in the surgical treatment for mucosal prolapse of the rectum associated with outlet obstruction. The treatment consisted of resection of the mucosal prolapse through a transverse incision and resecting a suitable part of the mucosa between the rectum and the anal canal, using an HCS33 circular stapler. Eleven patients successfully underwent this operation without morbidity or mortality, and were assessed clinically and by rectoanal manometry and defecography pre-and post-operation. The mean operating time was 39 (range 22-49) min. The postoperative proctalgia and complications were mild, and the patients were discharged at 4 days after the operation. The pre-operative constipation was improved, and the patient's satisfaction was increased at one month after operation in comparison with the preoperative level. Rectoanal function test at 6 months after the operation demonstrated normalization of the maximum resting and squeezing pressures of the anal canal and rectal compliance to the normal levels. No patient has had recurrence of symptoms during the follow-up period. Our data suggest that this procedure may be a useful surgical treatment, as it causes little postoperative complication and enables early discharge of the patients. However, long-term outcomes of recurrence, continence, and constipation need to be evaluated in a more extended follow-up.

A 95-year-old woman admitted to our hospital for senile dementia showed hemorrhage from rectum, and colonoscopy was performed. Circumferential hemorrhagic concomitant nodular aggregated tumor was found spreading from just above denticulate line to the lower rectum. She has a past history of rectal tumor, for which endoscopic mucosal resection was performed in 1998. Based on the biopsy finding, the tumor was diagnosed as a highly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and the hemorrhage was speculated to be induced by local recurrence. Considering patient's very high age and poor risks, argon plasma coagulation (APC) therapy succeeded in controlling the hemorrhage. After the therapy, the tumor itself showed no tendency to grow, and clinical course remained favorable for 10 months up to now. APC therapy is considered useful for the hemorrhagic tumors in the gastrointestinal tract in the highly aged patients with high risk.

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