Objective To prospectively evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes in patients undergoing laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LTME) with anal sphincter preservation (ASP) for low rectal cancers.
Methods From June 2001 to March 2004, 125 patients undergoing LTME and 103 patients undergoing OTME were included in this study. The international standard questionnaires (QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38) were used to evaluate the conditions of patients at 3 periods after surgery respetively: 3-6 months, 12-18 months, gt;24 months.
Results In contrast to OTME patients, the LTME ones showed significantly better physical function during 3-6 months after surgery, less micturition problems within 12-18 months, less male sexual problems and better sexual function during 12-18 months after surgery, with better sexual enjoyment after postoperative 24 months. Both groups showed significant improvement in most subscales from the first to the second assessment, and improvement in sexual enjoyment from the second to the third assessment. The sexual function, micturition problems and male sexual problems in LTME group significantly improved from the first to the second assessment, whereas the sexual function in OTME group improved from the second to the third assessment.
Conclusion Patients undergoing LTME for low rectal cancers have bette postoperative HRQOL than patients undergoing OTME, with better physical function, micturition function, overall sexual and male sexual functions in short term, and better sexual enjoyment in the long term. The HRQOL of both LTME and OTME patients may be expected to improve over time, particularly in the first postoperative year.
Citation： YU Yongyang,YANG Lie,ZHOU Zongguang,LI Yuan,XU Bing,LIU Haiyi,SONG Junmin,JIANG Xiao. Evaluation of Life Quality Following Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision for Low Rectal Cancers: A Clinical Control Study. CHINESE JOURNAL OF BASES AND CLINICS IN GENERAL SURGERY, 2007, 14(5): 524-529. doi: Copy