Bladder and sexual dysfunction following laparoscopic and open mesorectal excision for rectal cancer

The objective of this review is to analyze the bladder and sexual dysfunction after laparoscopic (LTME) and open total mesorectal excision (OTME) for rectal cancer. Electronic databases were searched to find relevant randomized controlled trials and their data were analyzed to generate a summative outcome. Three studies on LTME and OTME encompassing 258 patients were retrieved from the electronic databases. Two studies on 108 patients qualified for this review. There were 53 and 55 patients in LTME and OTME groups respectively. In the both fixed and random effects models, statistically there was no difference in bladder dysfunction, overall sexual dysfunction, overall male sexual dysfunction, overall female sexual dysfunction, male erectile dysfunction and male ejaculatory dysfunction between LTME and OTME. Both LTME and OTME are associated with equal risk of bladder and sexual dysfunction in both genders following resections for rectal cancer.