Total mesorectal excision is a standard surgical technique for treating rectal cancer, first described in 1982 by Bill Heald at Basingstoke District Hospital in the United Kingdom. It removes the rectum along with the surrounding fatty and lymph node bearing tissue by dissecting along an avascular plane, sometimes called the holy plane, that helps preserve nearby blood vessels and nerves, and it can be performed by open, laparoscopic, or robot assisted surgery. It is considered the worldwide gold standard treatment for rectal cancer, reducing cancer recurrence and the need for a permanent colostomy compared to older techniques, though patients can experience long term bowel symptoms known as low anterior resection syndrome.
Facts
FAQs
Does total mesorectal excision always mean a permanent colostomy?
No. A permanent colostomy follows only when too little rectum can be left to rejoin the bowel.
No. Cancer Research UK explains that the operation varies with where the cancer sits in the rectum. For a cancer high in the rectum the surgeon joins the colon to the remaining rectum, and a temporary stoma may be needed. For a cancer low in the rectum, if there is enough room left to join the bowel together the patient has the excision and a temporary ileostomy. Only if there is not enough room is the operation an abdominoperineal resection, which leaves a permanent colostomy.
Connections
Treats
Source Total Mesorectal Excision (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
2. Total Mesorectal Excision (Wikipedia)
Lead section
Total mesorectal excision (TME) is a standard surgical technique for treatment of rectal cancer, first described in 1982 by Professor Bill Heald at the UK's Basingstoke District Hospital.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_mesorectal_excision, lead section
Total mesorectal excision (TME) is a standard surgical technique for treatment of rectal cancer, first described in 1982 by Professor Bill Heald at the UK's Basingstoke District Hospital.
Treats: Cancer, Lead
Total mesorectal excision (TME) is a standard surgical technique for treatment of rectal cancer, first described in 1982 by Professor Bill Heald at the UK's Basingstoke District Hospital.
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