Published online Mar 28, 2015. doi: 10.5412/wjsp.v5.i1.127
Peer-review started: July 19, 2014
First decision: November 18, 2014
Revised: December 5, 2014
Accepted: December 18, 2014
Article in press: December 19, 2014
Published online: March 28, 2015
Processing time: 257 Days and 17.8 Hours
Retrorectal (also known as presacral) tumor (RT) is a rare disease of retrorectal space. They can be classified as congenital, inflammatory, neurogenic, osseous, or miscellaneous. The most common presentation is an asymptomatic mass discovered on routine rectal examination, but certain nonspecific symptoms can be elicited by careful history and physical examination. The primary and only satisfactory treatment is surgery for RTs. Three approaches commonly used for resection are abdominal, transsacral, or a combined abdominosacral approach. Prognosis is directly related primary local control, which is often difficult to achieve for malignant lesions.
Core tip: Since retrorectal tumors are rare in surgical practice an ordinary surgeon will have been faced a number not more than a fingers of one hand in his lifelong carrier. Diagnostic and surgical practice should be fulfilled by the small but well documented case series, reviews and meta-analyses based on them.