OBJECTIVETo explore the technical advantages of nano carbon development combined with artery approach in lymph node sorting of rectal cancer.

METHODSFrom December 2015 to June 2016, 70 patients with of rectal cancer in General Surgery Department of Henan Cancer Hospital were randomly divided into nano carbon development combined with artery approach group(artery approach group) and conventional group. Specimen of artery approach group was placed on the sorting table. Anatomy was performed from the root of inferior mesenteric artery to left colonic artery, sigmoid artery and superior rectal artery. Along the arterial vessel shape, the black-stained lymph nodes and non-stained lymph nodes (perhaps pink, pale yellow, white or pale brown) were examined carefully using visual and haptic combination method for identification of lymph node. From the root of inferior mesenteric artery, central lymph nodes were sorted. Along the vessel shape, vascular lymph nodes were sorted. Intestinal lymph nodes around the rectum were examined as well. Then, specimen was reversed on the sorting table and underwent sorting as above after the examination of obverse. The conventional group received routine method. The total number, the average harvested number, the number of positive lymph nodes and the number of patients with lymph nodes less than 12 were compared between two groups.

RESULTSAmong 70 cases, 37 were male and 33 were female with the median age of 57(32-88) years old. Dixon resection was performed in 46 cases, and Miles resection in 24 cases. Total sorting lymph node was 1 105, including 641 of artery approach group and 464 of control group with significant difference (t=20.717, P=0.000). Lymph node sorting time of artery approach group was (12.6±3.9) minutes, which was shorter than (18.2±4.1) minutes of control group (t=12.464, P=0.000). In artery approach group, number of lymph node with diameter less than 5 mm was 142, sorting rate was 22.2%(142/641), of which 29 were positive(20.4%). In conventional group, 37 lymph nodes with diameter less than 5 mm were found, and sorting rate was 8.0%(37/464), of which 6 were positive(16.2%). Number of the first station of lymph node sorting in artery approach group and conventional group was 282(44%) and 169(36.4%); number of the second station lymph node sorting was 230(35.9%) and 180(38.8%); number of the third station lymph node sorting was 129(20.1%) and 115(24.8%).

CONCLUSIONThe method of nano carbon development combined with artery approach in lymph node sorting of rectal cancer has some advantages, such as simple operation, more harvested lymph nodes, and more accurate pathological staging.