SynthesisBMC cancer2025
The surgical effect of inferior mesenteric artery ligation level in rectal cancer and sigmoid colon cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Association between left colic artery preservation and surgical outcomes after laparoscopic radical resection for rectal cancer: a propensity score-matched analysis.Updates in surgery · 2026Article
- Does the level of inferior mesenteric artery ligation affect outcomes in rectal cancer: a meta-analysis.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026Review
- Oncologic standards in colon cancer resection: from margins to lymph node yield and mesentery.Frontiers in surgery · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn radical surgery for sigmoid and rectal cancer, two main approaches are used to ligate the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA): high ligation at the root of the IMA and low ligation at the distal origin of the left colonic artery (LCA). There has been debate as to which technique is more optimal.
methodsPubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CNKI databases were searched for relevant information from their inception to March 10, 2025. Methodological quality of reviews was assessed by the AMSTAR-2 tool.
resultsSixteen relevant studies involving a total of 1778 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with high ligation, low-position ligation of the IMA was associated with a significantly lower incidence of anastomotic leakage (RR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.26-0.72, P < 0.05) and faster postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function (SMD: -0.21, 95% CI: -0.37 -0.05, P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in the length of hospitalization, tumor recurrence, lymph node harvest, urinary retention, urinary incontinence, operative bleeding, overall survival at 5 years, disease‑free survival at 5 years and sexual dysfunction were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).
conclusionIn colorectal cancer surgery, low ligation of the IMA can reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage and improve postoperative defecation function without increasing intraoperative blood loss, the risk of tumor recurrence, or affecting sexual function. Therefore, low ligation may a better technique than high ligation in this context.
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Registered trials
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.