[Specimen extraction through natural orifices with Cai tubes in gastrointestinal surgery: a single-institute series of 234 cases].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of Cai tube-assisted natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) in gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This was a descriptive case-series study. Inclusion criteria: (1) colorectal or gastric cancer diagnosed by preoperative pathological examination or redundant sigmoid or transverse colon detected by barium enema; (2) indications for laparoscopic surgery; (3) body mass index <30 kg/m2 (transanal surgery) and 35 kg/m2 (transvaginal surgery); (4) no vaginal stenosis or adhesions in female patients undergoing transvaginal specimen extraction; and (5) patients with redundant colon aged 18-70 years and a history of intractable constipation for more than 10 years. Exclusion criteria: (1) colorectal cancer with intestinal perforation or obstruction, or gastric cancer with gastric perforation, gastric hemorrhage, or pyloric obstruction; (2) simultaneous resection of lung, bone, or liver metastases ; (3) history of major abdominal surgery or intestinal adhesions; and (4) incomplete clinical data. From January 2014 to October 2022, 209 patients with gastrointestinal tumors and 25 with redundant colons who met the above criteria were treated by NOSES utilizing a Cai tube (China invention patent number:ZL201410168748.2) in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University. The procedures included eversion and pull-out NOSES radical resection in 14 patients with middle and low rectal cancer, NOSES radical left hemicolectomy in 171 patients with left-sided colorectal cancer, NOSES radical right hemicolectomy in 12 patients with right-sided colon cancer, NOSES systematic mesogastric resection in 12 patients with gastric cancer, and NOSES subtotal colectomy in 25 patients with redundant colons. All specimens were collected by using an in-house-made anal cannula (Cai tube) with no auxiliary incisions. The primary outcomes included 1-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and postoperative complications. Results: Among 234 patients, 116 were male and 118 were female. The mean age was (56.6±10.9) years. NOSES was successfully completed in all patients without conversion to open surgery or procedure-related death. The negative rate of circumferential resection margin was 98.8% (169/171) with both two positive cases having left-sided colorectal cancer. Postoperative complications occurred in 37 patients (15.8%), including 11 cases (4.7%) of anastomotic leakage, 3 cases(1.3%) of anastomotic bleeding, 2 cases (0.9%) of intraperitoneal bleeding, 4 cases (1.7%) of abdominal infection, and 8 cases (3.4%) of pulmonary infection. Reoperations were required in 7 patients (3.0%), all of whom consented to creation of an ileostomy after anastomotic leakage. The total readmission rate within 30 days after surgery was 0.9% (2/234). After a follow-up of (18.3±3.6) months, the 1-year RFS was 94.7%. Five of 209 patients (2.4%) with gastrointestinal tumors had local recurrence, all of which was anastomotic recurrence. Sixteen patients (7.7%) developed distant metastases, including liver metastases(n=8), lung metastases(n=6), and bone metastases (n=2). Conclusion: NOSES assisted by Cai tube is feasible and safe in radical resection of gastrointestinal tumors and subtotal colectomy for redundant colon.目的： 探讨蔡氏套管器在胃肠道经自然腔道取标本手术（NOSES）中的应用价值。 方法： 本研究采用描述性病例系列研究的方法。病例纳入标准：（1）经术前病理检查确诊为结直肠癌或胃癌，或术前钡灌肠造影提示乙状结肠冗长或横结肠冗长；（2）具备传统腹腔镜手术的适应证；（3）体质指数<30 kg/m2（经肛门手术）和35 kg/m2（经阴道手术）；（4）女性患者经阴道取标本者无阴道狭窄或粘连；（5）结肠冗长症患者年龄为18~70岁，具有顽固性便秘病史且病程10年以上者。排除标准：（1）合并肠穿孔、梗阻的结直肠癌，或合并胃穿孔、胃出血、幽门梗阻的胃癌；（2）合并肺、骨远处转移或无法同期切除的肝转移；（3）有腹部大手术史或存在肠粘连；（4）临床资料不完整者。按照上述标准，2014年1月至2022年10月期间，厦门大学附属中山医院胃肠外科应用蔡氏套管器行NOSES手术共治疗209例胃肠肿瘤和25例结肠冗长症患者，其中中低位直肠癌14例，行外翻拖出式NOSES直肠癌根治术；左结直肠癌171例，行NOSES左半结肠癌根治术；右结肠癌12例，行NOSES右半结肠癌根治术；胃癌12例，行NOSES系统性胃系膜切除术；结肠冗长症25例，行NOSES结肠次全切除术。均采用自制免辅助切口肛门套管器——蔡氏套管器（中国发明专利号：ZL201410168748.2）取标本。主要观察指标为术后1年无复发生存率和并发症发生情况。 结果： 全组234例患者中，男性116例，女性118例；年龄（56.6±10.9）岁。所有患者均顺利施行NOSES手术，无中转开腹者，无手术相关死亡者。术后环周切缘阴性率为98.8%（169/171），仅2 例阳性，均为左结直肠癌组患者。术后37例（15.8%）患者出现并发症，其中出现吻合口漏11例（4.7%），吻合口出血3例（1.3%），腹腔内出血2例（0.9%），腹腔感染4例（1.7%），肺部感染8例（3.4%）。术后再手术7例（3.0%），均为吻合口漏后行回肠造口术。术后30 d内总再入院率为0.9%（2/234）。随访（18.3±3.6）个月，1年无复发生存率为94.7%。209例胃肠肿瘤患者有5例（2.4%）局部复发，均为吻合口复发；16例（7.7%）远处转移，其中肝转移8例，肺转移6例，骨转移2例。 结论： 蔡氏套管器辅助的NOSES手术在胃肠道肿瘤根治术及结肠冗长症行结肠次全切除术中具有良好的可行性和安全性。.