Emergency transanal total mesorectal excision for perforated rectal cancer: a two-case series

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Surgery for perforated rectal cancer is technically difficult because of paralytic dilatation due to generalized fecal peritonitis, the presence of a bulky tumor, and fecal retention due to obstruction. Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) is the latest minimally invasive transanal technique pioneered to facilitate difficult pelvic dissections. It can provide a good surgical field linearly from the perineal side and reduce manipulations from the intraabdominal side. Here, we present two cases of emergency TaTME performed for perforated rectal cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: The patients were a 38-year-old female and a