FUNCTIONAL RESULTS AFTER TRANSANAL ENDOSCOPIC MICROSURGERY

PURPOSE: Compared with traditional operations, superior results after transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) for rectal tumors have been de monstrated in terms of morbidity and mortality. However, no data were available on functional outcome after TEM. We, therefore, studied 42 p atients who were undergoing TEM. METHODS: Patients were examined by an orectal manometry and participated in a standardized interview preoper atively and three months and one year after surgery. RESULTS: Anorecta l function as assessed by manometry was impaired three months after su rgery but improved again during the first postoperative year. In paral lel, some patients complained of impaired continence or defecation dis orders in the interview three months postoperatively. These functions improved during the first year after surgery, too. CONCLUSIONS: Correc t comparison of our results with functional outcome after anterior rec tal resection is impossible. We feel, however, that functional results after TEM are likely to be superior to those after anterior resection for rectal tumors.