Laparoscopic assisted intersphincteric resection following preoperative chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced lower rectal cancer: report of a case.

Laparoscopy-assisted surgery for rectal surgery has been shown to be both technically feasible and a safe alternative to laparotomy. It can be combined with preoperative chemoradiation and sphincter preserving operation for advanced low rectal cancer. We report a case of advanced lower rectal cancer, which was treated with laparoscopy-assisted total mesorectal excision and intersphincteric resection (abdomino-anal resection with coloanal anastomosis) following preoperative chemoradiation. In this patient, preoperative chemoradiation was very effective and no cancer cells remained in resected specimens.