Background: This retrospective study aimed to demonstrate surgical operative approach of total pelvic exenteration combined with sacral resection with rectal cancer and elucidate the relationships between the level of sacral resection and short-term outcomes.
Methods: Twenty cases were selected. Data regarding sex, age, body mass index, neoadjuvant therapy, location of sacral resection ("Upper" or "Lower" relative to the level between the 3rd and 4th sacral segment), operative time, bleeding, and curability (R0/R1) were collected and compared to determine their association with complications exhibiting a Clavien-Dindo grade III.
Results: The complication rate was significantly higher for recurrent cancers (n = 10, 76.9%) than for primary cancers (n = 1, 14.3%) (P = .007), and for "Upper" resection (n = 8, 72.7%) than for "Lower" resection (n = 3, 33.3%) (P = .078). Significant differences were observed when complication rates for "Lower" and primary cancer resection (n = 3, .0%) were compared between "Upper" and recurrent cancers (n = 8, 100.0%) (P = .007).
Conclusion: In patients with recurrent rectal cancer, "Upper" sacral resection during total pelvic exenteration is associated with a high complication rate, highlighting the need for careful monitoring.
Keywords: curability; rectal cancer; sacral resection (TPES); short-term outcome; total pelvic exenteration combined with sacral resection.