Study of the Preservation of the Left Colic Artery on Rectum Cancer Surgery

The root of the inferior mesenteric artery(IMA) was carefully dissected and the artery wall was exposed all the way to the bifurcation of the left colic artery(LCA) and the superior rectal artery (SRA), exposing the LCA from its root until the inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) was recognized. Subsequently, dissection was continued along the IMV up to the level of the root of the IMA. Then the sigmoid mesentery was transected from the root of the IMA to the IMV, and the IMV and the root of the SRA were ligated. Finally, the adipose tissue with the lymph nodes in the area surrounded by the IMA, IMV, and LCA was dissected, with preservation of the LCA .

The root of the IMA was exposed and the fatty tissue around the root of the IMA was swept in order to maximize the lymph node retrieval rate. Subsequently, the IMA was ligated 1 cm from the aorta to avoid damaging the nerves.