| [ Summary ] |
Patients who have undergone surgical treatment for advanced rectal carcinoma are frequently faced with postoperative defecatory, urinary, or sexual dysfunction, resulting in a reduction of quality of life. Currently, because of developments in surgical instruments, sphincter saving operations are extensively performed. Since even low anterior resection sometimes results in frequent bowel movements and urgency, colonic J-pouch reconstruction to maintain better defecatory function is used at this time. To avoid urinary or sexual dysfunction, pelvic autonomic nerve preserving surgery is actively performed. Surgical treatment should be performed not only from the standpoint of radical cures, of the cancer but also from the standpoint of quality of life after treatment. |