This episode reviews the technical and academic principles governing Proctectomy for Rectal Cancer, highlighting that the foundation of modern care is Total Mesorectal Excision (TME). We emphasize the consequences of surgical failure, noting that a Circumferential Resection Margin (CRM) of less than 1 mm carries a local recurrence rate greater than 50%.

The episode details the meticulous anatomy required for nerve sparing, focusing on maintaining the Holy Plane during posterior dissection. Violation of this plane risks severe consequences, including catastrophic bleeding from the pre-sacral venous plexus and autonomic nerve injury (leading to sexual dysfunction and urinary retention). Pre-operative best practice mandates combined Mechanical Bowel Prep (MBP) with Oral Antibiotics (OA) to reduce infection and leak rates.

We cover surgical complexities, including the technical trade-off of IMA ligation and reconstruction options (J pouch vs. end-to-side). We scrutinize Transanal TME (TaTME), noting that its high rate of serious intraoperative adverse events means its safety is still unproven outside specialized centers. Finally, the episode focuses on functional recovery, detailing the definition and management of Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) using the validated LARS score (30–42 is Major LARS), and stressing the importance of quality standardization via the NAPRC accreditation program.