Abstract
In order to evaluate the postoperative quality of life (QOL), a questionnaire form was sent to patients who had undergone a low anterior resection (LAR) for rectal cancer at least one year before.
We recovered the filled questionnaire from that asked about problems on defecation and daily life from 89 patients (recovery rate: 96.7%). Daily stool frequency was 4.3±1.6 and 2.9±0.9 movements (p<0.02) in cases of 5cm and 2cm distance from the dentate line to anastomosis line, respectively. Soiling occurred in 69.2%, 23.7% (p=0.009) and 19.2% (p=0.003) in cases of 2cm, 4cm, and 5cm distance, respectively. Laxatives were used in 69.2% and 30.8% (p=0.026) in cases of 2cm and5 cm distance, respectively. However, no significant difference between short and long distance was recognized in discrimination of flatus from feces and sensation of incomplete defecation. In outdoor action and tour, no significant differences between each distance was recognized, but there is a tendency to increase some troubles in 2cm distance. As to postoperative status evaluated by patients themselves, 87.6% of them evaluated as “Good” or “Fair” and 12.4% of them as “Poor”. Patients rated “Poor” tended to increase in the 2cm distance group by reason of frequent defecation. These data suggest that abnormal bowel function was caused by decline of rectal compliance and abnormal movement in the proximal colon. LAR was evaluated as satisfactory procedure, and colonal pouch formation may be useful for QOL.
