Pelvic peritoneal reconstruction reduces postoperative complications in rectal cancer

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 cohort studies demonstrated that patients undergoing pelvic peritoneal reconstruction (PPC) during abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer experienced significantly lower rates of postoperative complications. The PPC group showed reduced odds for intestinal obstruction (OR = 0.22), surgical site infections (OR = 0.36), and pelvic and abdominal cavity infections (OR = 0.20) compared to the non-closure group. These findings highlight the potential of PPC to improve patient outcomes in rectal cancer surgery.