Simple instruments facilitating achievement of transanal total mesorectal excision in male patients

Table 2 Clinicopathological outcomes n (%)

Variable	Group A, n = 41	Group B, n = 74	P value
Total operating time in min2	280 (200-360)	240 (160-330)	0.000
Blood loss in mL2	80 (20-500)	60 (20-300)	0.184
Hospital stays after operation2	8 (7-23)	8 (6-19)	0.341
Distance of tumors from distal margin in mm1	16.9 ± 5.3	17.9 ± 4.9	0.466
Distal mesorectum			0.000
Complete	31 (75.6)	74 (100)
Nearly complete	7 (17.1)	0 (0)
Incomplete	3 (7.3)	0 (0)
Total mesorectum			0.008
Complete	29 (70.7)	67 (90.5)
Nearly complete	9 (22.0)	7 (9.5)
Incomplete	3 (7.3)	0
Distal involvement			1.000
Positive	0 (0)	0 (0)
Negative	41 (100)	74 (100)
Circumferential resection margin			0.543
Positive	2 (4.9)	2 (2.7)
Negative	39 (95.1)	72 (97.3)

¹Values are mean ± SD;

²Values are median (range). Group A: A classical approach; Group B: A modified approach with transanal total mesorectal excision.