Transanal Surgery Shows Advantages Over Laparoscopy in Rectal Cancer

This meta-analysis evaluated the outcomes of transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) versus laparoscopic TME (LaTME) for rectal cancer. Analyzing data from 22 studies comprising 5056 patients, including randomized controlled trials and prospective studies, revealed that TaTME had a lower conversion rate and better circumferential resection margin (CRM) outcomes than LaTME. There were no significant differences in several other parameters, making TaTME a promising choice for rectal cancer surgery, particularly due to its benefits in reducing conversion and improving CRM.