Published online Jan 6, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i1.95
Peer-review started: October 13, 2023
First decision: November 28, 2023
Revised: December 12, 2023
Accepted: December 18, 2023
Article in press: December 18, 2023
Published online: January 6, 2024
Processing time: 81 Days and 1.9 Hours
Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and transanal endoscopic submucosal dissection (TES) are widely employed surgical techniques. However, the comparative efficacy and safety of both remain inconclusive.
To comprehensively analyze and discern differences in surgical outcomes between ESD and TES.
We conducted a systematic search of the electronic databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and CINAHL from inception till August 2023. We analyzed outcomes including recurrence rate, en bloc resection, R0 resection rate, perforation rate, procedure length, and hospital stay length applying a random-effects inverse-variance model. We assessed publication bias by conducting an Egger’s regression test and sensitivity analyses.
We pooled data from 11 studies involving 1013 participants. We found similar recurrence rates, with a pooled odds ratio of 0.545 (95%CI: 0.176-1.687). En bloc resection, R0 resection, and perforation rate values were also similar for both ESD and TES. The pooled analysis for procedure length indicated a mean difference of -4.19 min (95%CI: -22.73 to 14.35), and the hospital stay was on average shorter for ESDs by about 0.789 days (95%CI: -1.671 to 0.093).
Both ESD and TES displayed similar efficacy and safety profiles across multiple outcomes. Our findings show that individualized patient and surgeon preferences, alongside specific clinical contexts, can be considered when selecting between these two techniques.
Core Tip: This meta-analysis compares Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) and Transanal Endoscopic Surgery (TES) for rectal tumours, focusing on recurrence rates, resection efficacies, and procedural outcomes. Our findings reveal no significant differences in recurrence or resection rates between ESD and TES, highlighting their comparable efficacies. However, the methods differ in anaesthesia requirements, impacting patient experience and recovery. With substantial heterogeneity in study designs and patient populations, our analysis underscores the need for standardized multicentric studies. This comprehensive comparison provides crucial insights for clinicians in selecting the most appropriate surgical technique based on tumour characteristics, patient profiles, and institutional resources.