Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40658258›Full record

ArticleTechniques in coloproctology2025

Anorectal and urogenital functional outcome after robotic and transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: a propensity score-matched analysis.

Pak Chiu Wong, Felix Che Lok Chow, Wai Lun Law, Chi Chung Foo

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Techniques in coloproctology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Sexual dysfunction outcomes and reporting disparities after multimodal treatment for rectal cancer: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Pak Chiu WongDivision of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Felix Che Lok ChowDivision of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Wai Lun LawDivision of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Chi Chung FooDivision of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. ccfoo@hku.hk.ORCID 0000-0001-8849-6597

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRobotic-assisted total mesorectal excision (RaTME) and transanal TME (TaTME) are well-established approaches for rectal cancer with promising oncological outcomes. Concerns about postoperative defecatory, urinary, and sexual dysfunction have been raised and the impact on patients' quality of life remained uncertain. This study compared anorectal and urogenital functional outcomes after RaTME and TaTME.

methodsPatients with mid to low rectal cancer who underwent sphincter-saving surgery between January 2016 and December 2021 were reviewed. Questionnaires regarding low anterior resection syndrome (LARS), Wexner incontinence score, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) were administered at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after index operation without stoma or after stoma closure.

resultsTwo hundred patients were included with 108 and 92 patients in the RaTME and TaTME group, respectively. After matching, 74 patients were analyzed in each group. LARS scores were significantly lower in the RaTME group than the TaTME group at 6 months (27 [interquartile range (IQR) 13-36] vs 30 [IQR 24-39], p = 0.038) but similar at 12 months (27 [IQR 13-33] vs 29 [IQR 13-36], p = 0.369) after stoma closure. Urinary function deteriorated after both operations but recovered at 6 months after RaTME and 12 months after TaTME. For sexual function, IIEF scores remained similar in the two groups.

conclusionRaTME provided better anorectal function with lower LARS score at initial postoperative 6 months but similar after 1 year. Urinary function recovered earlier at 6 months after RaTME while sexual function was comparable between two groups.

Indexed as

Postoperative ComplicationsProctectomyRectal NeoplasmsRobotic Surgical ProceduresTransanal Endoscopic SurgeryAgedAnal CanalErectile DysfunctionFecal IncontinenceFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPropensity ScoreQuality of LifeRectumFecal incontinenceLow anterior resection syndromeRectal cancerRobotic total mesorectal excisionTaTMEUrogenital function

Identifiers

PMID40658258
PMCPMC12259797

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.