• Denonvilliers' fascia
• Intraoperative pelvic neuromonitoring
• Robotic total mesorectal excision
• Sacral nerve stimulation

• Humans
• Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring/methods
• Laparoscopy/adverse effects
• Postoperative Complications/etiology
• Proctectomy/adverse effects
• Rectal Neoplasms/surgery
• Rectum/surgery
• Robotic Surgical Procedures/adverse effects
• Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/etiology
• Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/diagnosis
• Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/physiopathology
• Treatment Outcome
• Urination Disorders/etiology
• Urination Disorders/diagnosis

• Denonvilliers' fascia
• Rectal neoplasms
• Sexual function
• Urinary function
• meta-Analysis

• Humans
• Laparoscopy/methods
• Male
• Rectal Neoplasms/surgery
• Postoperative Complications/prevention & control
• Postoperative Complications/epidemiology
• Postoperative Complications/etiology
• Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/etiology
• Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/prevention & control
• Quality of Life
• Urinary Retention/etiology
• Urinary Retention/prevention & control
• Urinary Retention/epidemiology
• Incidence

• Denonvilliers’ fascia
• Dissect
• Laparoscopic surgery
• Middle and low rectal cancer
• Total mesorectal excision

• rectal cancer
• sexual dysfunction

• Humans
• Male
• Follow-Up Studies
• Rectal Neoplasms/surgery
• Pelvis/surgery
• Autonomic Pathways
• Fascia

• Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU)
• National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)

• #cadaveric pelvic dissection
• #male genitourinary system
• #male urethra
• #pelvic anatomy
• #posterior prostate approach
• #prostate visualization

An understanding of the anatomy of the Denonvilliers’ fascia is essential for successful surgical outcomes for patients with rectal cancer in the mid- to lower regions, especially near the seminal vesicles and prostate in males. Whether the correct surgical plane during a total mesorectal excision should be anterior or posterior to the Denonvilliers’ fascia is currently under debate. This study aimed to investigate the Denonvilliers’ fascia using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to acquire three-dimensional images nondestructively for assessments of the relationship between the Denonvilliers’ fascia, the mesorectal fascia, and neurovascular bundles to elucidate the correct anterior total mesorectal excision plane. Eight specimens were obtained bilaterally from four fresh human cadavers. Four specimens were stained with phosphotungstic acid to visualize the soft tissue, and micro-CT images were obtained; the other four specimens were stained with Masson’s trichrome to visualize connective tissue. Micro-CT images corroborate that the Denonvilliers’ fascia consists of a multilayered structure that separates the rectum from the seminal vesicles and the prostate. Specimens stained with Masson’s trichrome showed that the urogenital neurovascular bundle located at the posterolateral corner of the prostate is separated from the mesorectum by the Denonvilliers’ fascia. For the preservation of autonomic nerves necessary for urogenital function and optimal oncologic outcomes in patients with rectal cancer, a successful mesorectal excision requires a dissection plane posterior to the Denonvilliers’ fascia.

The effect of transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) on patients' quality of life and functional outcomes is not fully understood. This study aimed to compare the quality of life and bowel, anorectal, and urogenital functions after laparoscopic and TaTME.

Laparoscopic or TaTME was performed for 202 propensity score-matched patient pairs with rectal cancer between January 2014 and December 2017 at the National Cancer Center, Korea. The outcomes for all patients were assessed using anorectal manometry, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and Colorectal Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-CR38), low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score, Fecal Incontinence Severity Index, and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). This retrospective comparative study included patients who completed anorectal manometry and the questionnaires before treatment and at 1 year after surgery.

The EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38 showed comparable outcomes regarding the quality of life in both groups. More patients experienced major LARS in the transanal group at 1 year postoperatively (31.0% vs. 6.8% in the laparoscopic group, P = 0.004). Multivariable analysis revealed no significant difference in the LARS score between the groups at 1 year postoperatively (odds ratio, 2.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.79–6.72; P = 0.127). Significant differences in the IPSS were not noted between the groups.

The quality of life and functional outcomes were comparable between the laparoscopic and transanal approaches; however, our findings suggest a higher rate of LARS after TaTME.

• Fecal incontinence
• Quality of life
• Rectal neoplasms
• Transanal endoscopic surgery

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the main functional complications of surgical resections of the rectum due to rectal cancers or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The present systematic review aimed at revising ED management strategies applied after rectal resections and their efficacy in terms of improvement of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score. A literature search was conducted on Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases by two independent reviewers following the PRISMA guidelines. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials (RCTs, NRCTs), case-control studies, and case series evaluating medical or surgical therapies for ED diagnosed after rectal surgery for both benign and malignant pathologies were eligible for inclusion.

Out of 1028 articles initially identified, only five met the inclusion criteria: two RCTs comparing oral phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor (PDE-5i) versus placebo; one NRCT comparing PDE-5i versus PDE-5i + vacuum erection devices (VEDs) versus control; and two before-after studies on PDE-5i. A total of 253 (82.7%) rectal cancer patients and 53 (17.3%) IBD patients were included. Based on two RCTs, PDE-5i significantly improved IIEF compared to placebo at 3 months (SMD = 1.07; 95% CI [0.65, 1.48]; p < .00001; I² = 39%). Improved IIEF was also reported with PDE-5i + VED at 12 months. There is a paucity of articles in the literature that specifically assess efficacy of ED treatments after rectal surgery. Many alternative treatment strategies to PDE-5is remain to be investigated. Future studies should implement standardized preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up sexual function assessment in patients undergoing rectal resections.

• Sexual dysfunction
• men’s health
• rectal surgery
• total mesorectal excision

• Denonvilliers’
• fascia
• rectal cancer
• rectovaginal septum
• total mesorectal excision

• Shenkang Hospital Developing Center of Shanghai, China
• Project of Frontier Technology in General Hospital
• Naval Medical University

The high rate of urogenital dysfunction after traditional total mesorectal excision (TME) has caused doubts among scholars on the standard fashion of dissection. We have proposed the necessity to preserve the Denonvilliers’ fascia in patients with rectal cancer. However, how to accurately locate the Denonvilliers’ fascia is unclear. This study aimed to explore anatomical features of the Denonvilliers’ fascia by comparing autopsy findings and observations of surgical videos so as to propose a dissection method for the preservation of pelvic autonomic nerves during rectal cancer surgery.

Five adult male cadaver specimens were dissected, and surgical videos of 135 patients who underwent TME for mid‐low rectal cancer between January 2009 and February 2019 were reviewed to identify and compare the structure of the Denonvilliers’ fascia.

The monolayer structure of the Denonvilliers’ fascia was observed in 5 male cadaver specimens, and it was located between the rectum, the bottom of the bladder, the seminal vesicles, the vas deferens, and the prostate. The Denonvilliers’ fascia was originated from the rectovesical pouch (or rectum‐uterus pouch), down to fuse caudally with the rectourethral muscle at the apex of the prostate, and fused to the lateral ligaments on both sides. The fascia was thinner on the midline with a thickness of 1.06 ± 0.10 mm. The crown shape of the Denonvilliers’ fascia was slightly triangular, with a height of approximately 5.42 ± 0.16 cm at midline. Nerves were more densely distributed in front of the Denonvilliers’ fascia than behind, especially on both sides of it. Under laparoscopic view, the Denonvilliers’ fascia was originated at the lowest point of the rectovesical pouch (or rectum‐uterus pouch), with a thickened white line which was a good mark for identifying the Denonvilliers’ fascia.

Identification of the surgical indication line for the Denonvilliers’ fascia could help us identify the Denonvilliers’ fascia, and it would improve our ability to protect the pelvic autonomic function of patients undergoing TME for rectal cancer.

• cadaver dissection
• laparoscopic surgery
• pelvic autonomic nerve preservation
• rectal cancer
• the Denonvilliers’ fascia
• total mesorectal excision