Yasmin Halwani, MD, Elena Vikis, MD, MEd, FRCSC. University of British Columbia
Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) is a novel technique developed as an alternative to transanal excision and transanal endoscopic microsurgery for local excision of well selected rectal neoplasms. This approach makes use of a disposable flexible transanal platform and conventional laparoscopic instruments. TAMIS application has recently been extended to total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer. TAMIS-TME is a hybrid approach where transabdominal mobilization of the left colon and vascular pedicle are performed laparoscopically, followed by TAMIS-TME via the transanal access platform. This technique is particularly useful in the obese male patient with a narrow pelvis and bulky tumor. Our institution has performed the first three TAMIS-TMEs in Canada. A video and narrative description illustrates this technique.