Long-term efficacy and short-term outcomes of intersphincteric resection vs abdominoperineal resection in patients with ultra-low rectal cancer

Table 4 Comparison of postoperative complications between the abdomen perineal resection and intersphincteric resection groups

Complications	APR group (n = 289)	ISR group (n = 289)	P value
Overall complications	122 (42.2)	85 (29.4)	0.001
Pelvic infection	42 (14.5)	42 (14.5)	1.000
Bowel obstruction	22 (7.6)	25 (8.7)	0.648
Incision infection	46 (15.9)	3 (1.0)	< 0.001
Urinary retention	29 (10.0)	8 (2.8)	< 0.001
Anastomotic leakage/bowel perforation	3 (1.0)	33 (11.4)	< 0.0011
Anastomotic leak grade			< 0.001
Grade A	0 (0.0)	3 (1.0)
Grade B	1 (0.3)	29 (10.0)
Grade C	2 (0.7)	1 (0.3)
Pneumonia	10 (3.5)	15 (5.2)	0.307
Circumferential resection margin	12 (4.2)	3 (1.0)	0.019
Chylous leakage	4 (1.4)	8 (2.8)	0.243
Anastomotic bleeding	0 (0.0)	7 (2.4)	0.015
Distal margin positive	0 (0.0)	4 (1.4)	0.124
Other rare complications2	7 (2.4)	6 (2.1)	0.779
Surgical time (min)	205.1 ± 95.8	229.8 ± 95.4	0.001
Hospitalization time (days)	12.9 ± 8.8	9.8 ± 5.2	< 0.001

¹Abdomen perineal resection group with bowel perforation, intersphincteric resection group with anastomotic leakage.

²Including 2 bladder leakage, 2 sepsis, 4 abdominal bleeding, 1 stroke, 2 urinary infection, 1 deep venous tethering and 1 ureteral damage.

Data are presented as n (%) or mean ± SD. ISR: Intersphincteric resection; APR: Abdomen perineal resection.