Short-term efficacy of natural orifice specimen extraction surgery for low rectal cancer

Table 1 Comparison of clinical data between the natural orifice specimen extraction surgery group and laparoscopy group n (%)

	Before PSM			After PSM
	NOSES (n = 26)	LAP (n = 82)	P-value	NOSES (n = 26)	LAP (n = 26)	P-value
Age (yr)	63.1 ± 8.3	60.3 ± 6.8	0.251	63.1 ± 8.3	61.5 ± 7.6	0.480
Sex			0.345			0.157
Male	17 (65.4)	45 (54.9)		17 (65.4)	15 (57.7)
Female	9 (34.6)	37 (45.1)		9 (34.6)	11 (42.3)
BMI (kg/m2)	26.5 ± 4.7	25.8 ± 3.5	0.264	26.5 ± 4.7	26.4 ± 4.6	0.965
ASA grade			0.384			0.535
I	8 (30.8)	16 (19.5)		8 (30.8)	11 (42.3)
II	16 (61.5)	54 (65.9)		16 (61.5)	12 (46.2)
III	2 (7.7)	12 (14.6)		2 (7.7)	3 (11.5)
Distance from the lower edge of the tumor to the anal margin (cm)	4.9 ± 0.7	4.9 ± 0.6	0.812	4.9 ± 0.7	5.0 ± 0.7	0.700
Preoperative CEA (ng/mL)	3.1 ± 1.2	3.3 ± 1.0	0.745	3.1 ± 1.2	2.9 ± 0.8	0.624
cTNM grade			0.202			0.140
T1	4 (15.3)	7 (8.5)		4 (15.3)	1 (3.8)
T2	14 (53.8)	34 (41.5)		14 (53.8)	20 (76.9)
T3	8 (30.7)	41 (50)		8 (30.7)	5 (19.2)

NOSES: Natural orifice specimen extraction surgery; LAP: Laparoscopy; BMI: Body mass index; CEA: Carcino-embryonic antigen.

Table 2 Comparison of intraoperative and postoperative data between the natural orifice specimen extraction surgery group and laparoscopy group n (%)

Outcome	NOSES (n = 26)	LAP (n = 26)	P-value
Operative time (min)	182.1 ± 22.9	185.4 ± 26.6	0.628
Intraoperative blood loss (mL)	60.8 ± 50.0	66.2 ± 48.4	0.695
Number of dissected lymph nodes (pieces)	13.8 ± 2.0	13.7 ± 1.4	0.752
CRM	0 (0)	2 (7.7)	0.490
Postoperative VAS			< 0.0011
Day 1	2.7 ± 1.8	4.6 ± 1.9
Day 3	2.0 ± 1.1	4.1 ± 1.2
Day 5	1.7 ± 0.9	3.3 ± 1.0
Usage rate of additional analgesics	3 (11.5)	16 (61.5)	0.001
Postoperative complication rate	6 (23.1)	10 (38.5)	0.229
Time to gastrointestinal function recovery (d)	2.6 ± 1.0	3.4 ± 0.9	0.006
Length of postoperative hospital stay (d)	7.1 ± 1.7	8.3 ± 1.1	0.003
Follow-up			0.428
Local recurrence	0 (0)	1 (3.8)
Distant metastasis	2 (7.7)	3 (11.5)
Death	1 (7.7)	0 (0)
Postoperative anal function			0.448
No LARS	3 (11.5)	4 (15.4)
Minor LARS	20 (76.9)	16 (61.5)
Major LARS	3 (11.5)	6 (23.1)
Postoperative satisfaction rate of abdominal wall appearance			< 0.001
Satisfied	26 (100)	6 (23.1)
Dissatisfied	0 (0)	20 (76.9)

¹The P-value was calculated by repeated measures statistical analysis. NOSES: Natural orifice specimen extraction surgery; LAP: Laparoscopy; CRM: Circumferential resection margin; LARS: Low anterior resection syndrome.