Laparoscopy-assisted transanal total mesorectal excision for lower rectal cancer: A feasible and innovative technique

Table 1 Patient characteristics

Cases	Age in yr	Gender	BMI, kg/m2	Tumor height from anorectal junction in cm	Clinical stage	CRT	Pathological stage	Tumor size in cm	Technique	Operation time in min	Blood loss in mL	POHS	Time to first flatus in d	Complications
1	64	F	21.94	5.0	T3N2b	Yes	ypT0N0	7.0	taTME	198	100	9	2	N
2	48	M	30.78	5.0	T3N2b	Yes	ypT3N1b	1.5	taTME	270	100	12	3	N
3	64	M	30.06	5.0	T3N2b	Yes	ypT3N0	1.5	taTME (Hartmann)	364	100	9	2	N
4	67	M	25.24	6.0	T3N1	Yes	ypT2N1a	2.0	taTME	270	100	11	2	Fever
5	57	M	27.11	5.0	T3N2	Yes	ypT2N0	2.0	taTME	392	100	9	3	N
6	66	M	20.44	3.0	T3N+	Yes	ypT2N0	1.0	taTME	262	50	9	2	N
7	45	M	26.67	4.0	T3N0	Yes	ypT3N0	1.2	taTME	317	200	8	2	N
8	38	M	25.82	3.0	T3bN2a	Yes	ypT2N0	2.0	taTME	266	200	9	2	N
9	47	M	24.39	5.0	T3N+	Yes	ypT2N1	2.5	taTME	375	100	14	10	Obstruction
10	61	M	26.20	4.0	T3N2b	Yes	ypT3N1a	1.3	taTME	293	100	9	3	N
11	62	M	29.41	6.0	T4aN+	Yes	ypT3N2b	2.0	taTME	337	100	10	2	N
12	72	M	36.37	3.0	T4N+	Yes	ypT0N1a	0.5	taTME	405	200	12	2	Fever
13	65	M	24.0	7.0	T3N+	Yes	ypT3N1a	2.0	taTME	290	100	7	2	N
14	51	M	25.76	2.0	T3N2b	Yes	ypT1N1b	2.0	taTME	364	200	9	2	N
15	55	M	23.66	8.0	T3N+	Yes	ypT3N0	4.0	taTME	400	100	10	2	N
16	30	M	26.17	3.0	T3N0	Yes	ypT0N0	0.0	taTME	283	100	10	2	N
17	61	M	26.99	5.0	T2N2	Yes	ypT2N0	1.5	taTME	245	50	7	2	Fever
18	49	F	26.34	2.0	T3N+	Yes	ypT2N0	1.1	taTME	226	100	7	2	N
19	58	M	20.96	2.0	T3N+	Yes	ypT3N0	1.0	taTME	342	200	10	2	N
20	60	M	26.90	5.0	T3N1	No	ypT3N0	5	taTME	271	100	7	2	N
21	71	M	25.3	5.0	T3N1	Yes	ypT2N0	0.5	taTME	310	100	8	2	Anastomotic fracture
22	69	M	23.9	3.0	T3N2	Yes	ypTIN0	1.5	taTME	317	50	8	2	N
23	39	F	24.2	4.0	Neuroendocrine tumor G2	No	Neuroendocrine tumor G2	1.0	taTME	235	50	12	2	N
24	59	M	23.39	4.0	T3N+	Yes	ypT2N0	1.0	taTME	266	50	8	2	N

BMI: Body mass index; CRT:chemoradiotherapy; POHS: Post-operative hospital stay; F: Female; M: Male; taTME: Transanal total mesorectal excision; N: None.

Table 2 Low anterior resection syndrome questionnaire and scoring[16]

LARS Score: Scoring instructions
Add the scores from each 5 answers to one final score.
Do you ever have occasions when you cannot control your flatus (wind)?
□ No, never
□ Yes, less than once per week
□ Yes, at least once per week
Do you ever have any accidental leakage of liquid stool?
□ No, never
□ Yes, less than once per week
□ Yes, at least once per week
How often do you open your bowels?
□ More than 7 times per day (24 h)
□ 4-7 times per day (24 h)
□ 1-3 times per day (24 h)
□ Less than once per day (24 h)
Do you ever have to open your bowels again within 1 hour of the last bowel opening?
□ No, never
□ Yes, less than once per week
□ Yes, at least once per week
Do you ever have such a strong urge to open your bowels that you have to rush to the toilet?
□ No, never
□ Yes, less than once per week
□ Yes, at least once per week
Total Score:
Interpretation:
0-20: No LARS
21-29: Minor LARS
30-42: Major LARS

LARS: Low anterior resection syndrome.