An 84-year-old "mirror man" patient was diagnosed with low rectal cancer, and robotic surgery helped to successfully "save the anus"

84-year-old Xiang Dad was diagnosed with low rectal cancer at a local hospital due to repeated bloody stools. The tumor was only 4 centimeters away from the anus. To make matters more complicated, the positions of Xiang Dad's organs were reversed. This rare physiological phenomenon is called "all organs inverted" or "mirror man", and the incidence rate is about one in a million.

The local hospital thought the operation was too difficult and that the anus could not be preserved. In the end, Father Xiang came to Hunan Provincial People's Hospital for treatment.

After admitting Mr. Xiang, Professor Huang Zhongcheng, consultant of the Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery at Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, and Professor Xiao Zhigang, director of the department, immediately conducted a detailed assessment of his condition and agreed that robotic radical resection of rectal cancer was the most suitable surgery for Mr. Xiang.

However, Mr. Xiang's condition was complicated, and the surgery faced three major challenges:

The first is anal preservation for low rectal cancer. The tumor of Mr. Xiang was only 4 cm away from the anus, and it was very difficult to preserve the anus and anal function. Before the operation, the surgical team combined the advantages of precision and flexible operation of robotic surgery to develop a detailed surgical plan, striving to preserve the anus and good defecation and control functions while removing the tumor, and avoid permanent stoma.

The second is the difficulty of reverse operation caused by anatomical abnormalities. Because all of Xiang's organs were reversed, the surgical team had to face a completely opposite anatomical structure layout. This reverse operation requires the surgeon to break the inherent surgical habits, use reverse thinking and perform reverse surgical operations, just like changing the long-term habit of eating with chopsticks in the reverse hand, which greatly tests the experience and skills of the surgeon and assistants.

Third, elderly patients face great risks in surgery. At 84 years old, Mr. Xiang's surgery risk is greatly increased. The surgical team must conduct a detailed assessment before the operation and be fully prepared, while reducing possible injuries and bleeding during the operation. Reduce trauma to the body. After the operation, the team also needs to closely monitor the patient to ensure that he can recover as soon as possible and reduce the occurrence of complications.

Recently, Professor Huang Zhongcheng performed a robot-assisted low rectal cancer anal preservation surgery on Mr. Xiang, avoiding a permanent stoma. After the surgery, Mr. Xiang recovered smoothly and his anal function was good. After nursing, he was quickly discharged from the hospital on the 10th day after the surgery.

This operation not only demonstrated the technical strength of the colorectal and anorectal surgery team of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital in anal preservation for low-position rectal cancer, but also provided valuable treatment experience for similar patients with total organ inversion.

Through robotic surgical technology, the patient overcame the multiple challenges brought by advanced age, low-position rectal cancer and situs inversus, and eventually recovered and resumed a normal life.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Zhang Weilin, Department of General Surgery 1, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital

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(Edited by YT)