Using transanal irrigation in the management of low anterior resection syndrome: a service audit

Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) is a collection of symptoms that can occur as a result of a low anterior resection for bowel cancer. Transanal irrigation (TAI) can be used to manage these symptoms. This article describes a retrospective audit of 15 patients who were using TAI to manage symptoms of LARS. The aim of the audit was to ascertain whether the use of TAI improved outcomes for these patients. The data suggest that TAI has reduced both the frequency of bowel movements and episodes of faecal incontinence. Those patients using higher volumes of water seem to have experienced more benefit than those patients using lower volumes of water. These findings are consistent with current literature around TAI for LARS and suggest research into optimum volume of water would be beneficial.

Rectal Reconstruction after Total Mesorectumectomy: Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life

Background. The study aims to compare the functional outcomes and quality of life in patients having variant rectal reconstruction procedures after low anterior resection for cancer.Materials and methods. A prospective randomised controlled trial enrolled 90 patients who underwent total mesorectumectomy with formation of J-pouch (J-P), side-to-end (STE) or end-to-end (ETE) anastomoses.Results and discussion. We analysed 22 J-P, 30 STE and 38 ETE patients. For technical reasons, 26.6 % J-Ps were remodelled to other anastomoses. The neorectal sensory threshold, first and permanent defecation urges and maximal tolerated volume were higher in J-P at months 3–6–12 postoperatively.Severe low anterior resection syndrome events at post-surgery month 6 were significantly more frequent in the ETE vs. J-P and STE cohorts (21, 0 and 3.3 %, respectively, p < 0.05). Stool frequency was significantly lower in J-P vs. STE and ETE at months 3–6–12. Wexner score was 3, 5, 6 at month 6 (p < 0.05) and 0, 1, 1 at month 12 for J-P, STE and ETE, respectively (p > 0.05). Evacuatory dysfunction was present at month 6 in 59.1 J-P, 33.3 STE and 21.1 % ETE.Quality of life (FIQL) in J-P and STE was significantly higher vs. ETE anastomoses in the Lifestyle (3.21, 3.22 and 3.03, respectively, p < 0.05) and Coping (3.29, 3.21 and 2.95, respectively, p < 0.05) scales to month 12 postoperatively.Conclusion. The J-pouch formation after low anterior resection ameliorates anal continence at months 3–6 post-surgery, reduces low anterior resection syndrome and improves quality of life (FIQL). The ease of implementation and irrelevance of evacuatory dysfunction in side-to-end anastomosis make it a superior choice over end-to-end surgery.