EMBRYOLOGY AND ANATOMY OF THE RECTUM

Rectal cancer surgery is difficult due to the rectum's relatively inac cessible pelvic position and its direct relation to many vital structu res. The surgeon is challenged to restore intestinal continuity while working in a confined space. Despite the importance of these issues, t he embryology and surgical anatomy of the rectum have been poorly unde rstood. In recent years, cadaver dissections and operative resection u nder direct vision have provided a clearer picture of the structure of the rectum and mesorectum, their innervation, blood supply, and surro unding structures. New imaging techniques will shed further light on t he anatomy of these structures and their anatomic variations. Semin. S urg. Oncol. 15:66-71, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.