Minimally Invasive Surgery for Rectal Procidentia, Is there a Preferred Approach?

Special Article - Minimally Invasive Surgery: Current & Future Developments

Austin J Surg. 2015;2(4): 1065.

Minimally Invasive Surgery for Rectal Procidentia, Is there a Preferred Approach?

Main WPL¹ and Kelley SR²*

Division of General Surgery, TriHealth Institute, USA

Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Mayo Clinic, USA

*Corresponding author: Kelley SR, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street, SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA

Received: March 19, 2015; Accepted: June 11, 2015; Published: June 25, 2015

Abstract

Purpose: Rectal procidentia can be repaired with multiple different minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) approaches, though it is unclear if any one approach is preferred. Herein, we have systematically reviewed the literature in an attempt to clarify if one minimally invasive approach is superior to another.

Methods: Utilizing Google Scholar and PubMed a systematic review of the English literature was carried out using the terms minimally invasive, laparoscopic, robotic, and rectopexy, resection rectopexy, mesh, suture, rectal procidentia, and rectal prolapse. Inclusion criteria for our study included all studies strictly evaluating minimally invasive repairs, which provided a total of 32 studies for review.

Results: No significant differences were found between different minimally invasive approaches in regards to recurrence, operative time, estimated blood loss, morbidity, mortality, length of stay, or improvement in preoperative constipation and incontinence.

Conclusion: To our knowledge the literature on minimally invasive repairs of rectal procidentia is sparse and inundated by heterogeneity; with no one approach having significantly better outcomes than another. Prospective randomized controlled trials comparing different minimally invasive repairs are needed.

Keywords: Rectal procidentia / prolapsed; Laparoscopic; Robotic; Repair

Introduction

Rectal procidentia is defined as full thickness circumferential intussusceptions of the rectum through the anal canal. It affects females six times more than males [1]. Common complaints include bleeding, mucous discharge, discomfort, incontinence, and constipation, all of which can significantly affect quality of life.

Laparoscopic rectopexy was introduced by Berman et al. in 1992, and since then numerous studies have reported minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) approaches as being safe and feasible [2- 6]. In addition to equivalent recurrence rates, minimally invasive surgery for rectal procidentia has been shown to result in decreased lengths of stay, analgesic requirements, and earlier tolerance of diet when compared to open repairs [7-13].

There are five commonly performed minimally invasive procedures for rectal prolapse. Anterior mesh rectopexy (Orr-Loygue procedure) involves anterolateral mesh fixation of either side of the rectum to the sacral promontory after anterior rectal mobilization. Posterior mesh rectopexy (modified Wells procedure) consists of posterior rectal dissection, typically with preservation of the lateral stalks, and mesh fixation to the sacral promontory and lateral rectum. Suture rectopexy with (Frykman-Goldberg procedure) or without segmental sigmoid resection involves suture fixation of the rectum to the sacral promontory. Ventral mesh rectopexy (D’Hoore procedure), a variant of anterior mesh rectopexy, secures the anterior rectum to the sacral promontory, and is frequently coupled with colpopexy. By avoiding posterolateral rectal dissection the rectum remains in its normal anatomic configuration preventing the potential disruption of the autonomic nervous system and subsequently postoperative constipation.

Herein the existing literature is reviewed in order to clarify whether one minimally invasive approach is superior to another in terms of operative time, estimated blood loss, conversion to open, morbidity, mortality, length of stay, recurrence, and rates of constipation and incontinence pre and postoperatively since in the literature there is a lack of systematic reviews comparing minimally invasive approaches for rectal prolapse.

Methods

Utilizing Google Scholar and PubMed a systematic review of the English literature was carried out using the terms minimally invasive, laparoscopic, robotic, and rectopexy, resection rectopexy, mesh, suture, rectal procidentia, and rectal prolapse. A total of 48 articles were identified including 26retrospective [5,6,9,11,12,14-34] and 17 prospective studies [8,10,35-49], 3 meta-analyses [1,50,51], and 2 randomized controlled trials [7,13]. Inclusion criteria for our study included all studies strictly evaluating minimally invasive repairs, which provided a total of 32 studies for review. Study and patient demographic information is outlined in Table 1.