Cancer detected from bloody stools
Patient N.X. L (74 years old) was admitted to K Hospital after experiencing bloody stools and prolonged abdominal pain. Through endoscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), doctors discovered a rectal tumor located in a low position, about 5.6 mm from the periphery of the anus.
Examination results determined that the patient had stage III (3B) rectal cancer, the tumor had progressed locally and there were signs of metastatic lymph nodes nearby. This is a fairly complex stage of the disease, especially in the elderly when overall health declines and the risk of complications is higher.
Before surgery, the patient underwent preoperative chemotherapy to shrink the tumor. After the treatment process, MRI results showed that the tumor responded very well, no longer invasive the surrounding tissues or regional lymph nodes.
However, because the tumor was deep in the pelvis and close to the anal area, the surgery required very high accuracy. Doctors had to completely remove the cancer damage and try to preserve the anal sphincter to maintain the patient's quality of life.
Robot surgery overcomes many challenges
After a professional consultation under the chairmanship of Dr. Doan Trong Tu - Head of Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2, K Hospital, the team decided to perform robotic laparoscopic surgery to remove the rectal segment combined with lymph node dissection.
According to doctors, rectal cancer surgery is always very difficult because this area is deep in the pelvis, near the bladder, urethra, large blood vessels and important nerves related to urinary and reproductive function.
In the case of patient L, the tumor is located at a very low position, difficult to access by traditional open surgery while still ensuring a safe cut area. Thanks to the robot support system, doctors can accurately dissect each layer of tissue, operate more sophisticatedly and limit damage to surrounding structures.
After surgery, the patient recovered positively, with little pain, almost no blood loss, and the hospital stay time was significantly shortened. After only one day, the patient was able to sit up and walk.
Dr. Doan Trong Tu said that for cases of moderate or low rectal cancer, especially in patients who have undergone preoperative radiation therapy, robotic laparoscopic surgery helps minimize invasion, faster recovery and increases the ability to preserve anal function.
For men with a narrow pelvis, robots also provide more delicate surgical support, helping to preserve the urogenital nerve and improve the effectiveness of radical treatment.
