Short-term outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted transanal vs laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for mid-to-low rectal cancer

Table 1 Comparison of the baseline characteristics between the two groups, n (%)

Variable	Transanal total mesorectal excision group (n = 66)	Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision group (n = 72)	Statistical value	P value
Age (years) (mean ± SD)	62.4 ± 11.2	64.1 ± 10.8	t = 0.928	0.356
Sex
Male	40 (60.6)	46 (63.9)	χ2 = 0.148	0.701
Female	26 (39.4)	26 (36.1)
Body mass index (kg/m2) (mean ± SD)	23.8 ± 3.2	24.3 ± 3.5	t = 0.878	0.382
American Society of Anesthesiologists score
Grades I and II	58 (87.9)	61 (84.7)	χ2 = 0.284	0.569
Grade III	8 (12.1)	11 (15.3)
Distance from the anal verge (cm) (mean ± SD)	3.2 ± 1.1	3.4 ± 1.3	t = 0.974	0.332
Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level (ng/mL) (mean ± SD)	8.9 ± 12.4	9.7 ± 15.2	t = 0.329	0.743
Clinical T stage
cT1 and cT2	16 (24.2)	16 (22.2)	χ2 = 0.082	0.777
cT3	50 (75.8)	56 (77.8)
Clinical N stage
cN0	28 (42.4)	32 (44.4)	χ2 = 0.056	0.813
cN1 and cN2	38 (57.6)	40 (55.6)
Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy	19 (28.8)	23 (31.9)	χ2 = 0.167	0.683
Tumor differentiation
Well-moderate	58 (87.9)	61 (84.7)	χ2 = 0.284	0.594
Poor	8 (12.1)	11 (15.3)
Comorbidities
Hypertension	24 (36.4)	28 (38.9)	χ2 = 0.095	0.758
Diabetes mellitus	12 (18.2)	16 (22.2)	χ2 = 0.350	0.554
Coronary artery disease	8 (12.1)	11 (15.3)	χ2 = 0.284	0.594
Previous abdominal surgery	6 (9.1)	9 (12.5)	χ2 = 0.415	0.519