Role of transanal endoscopic microsurgery in the palliative treatment of rectal cancer.

Background: Palliative, minimal invasive treatment of rectal cancer is advocated in patients with advanced and incurable disease or poor clinical condition and in those who refuse radical surgery. Several methods have been used during recent years. We report our experience with palliative transanal endoscopic microsurgery.

Materials: Between 1983 and 1995, 29 patients underwent transanal endoscopic microsurgery for palliation. Eleven patients had advanced malignant disease, nine were in poor clinical condition, and nine repeatedly refused radical surgery.

Results: Intraoperatively one severe complication, an intra-abdominal perforation, occurred. The morbidity rate was 14%. Postoperatively, clinical signs were abolished or improved in all cases. Only three patients required further palliative resections after initial symptom relief.

Conclusions: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is a successful approach in the palliative treatment of rectal cancer. The technique enables complete resection of rectal tumors. Although anesthesia is needed, the morbidity is low, even in patients with poor clinical condition.