operative technique: Intersphincteric resection

Despite the technological advances over the last years, the treatment of low rectal cancer (extraperitoneal) remains as a surgical challenge. Currently, the abdominoperineal resection is still the standard surgical treatment for most rectal lesions within 5 cm from the anal verge with well-known physical and psychological consequences. On the other hand, the introduction of intersphincteric resection in clinical practice has led to the possibility of sphincter preservation allied to satisfactory oncologic and functional outcomes in well selected cases. The present paper describes the technical steps of an intersphincteric resection for the treatment of extraperitoneal low rectal cancer.