Anatomy is the foundation of surgery. However, traditional anatomical concepts based on autopsy are no longer sufficient to guide the development of modern surgery. With the advancement of histology and embryology and application of high-resolution laparoscopic technology, surgical anatomy has gradually developed. Meanwhile, some important concepts and terms used to guide surgery have emerged, including: mesentery, fascia, and space. The confusing, controversial, and even inaccurate definitions and anatomical terms related to colorectal surgery seriously affect academic communication and the training of young surgeons. Therefore, the Chinese Society of Colorectal Surgeons, the Chinese Society of Colorectal Surgery, National Health Commission Capacity Building and Continuing Education Center, and China Sexology Association of Colorectal Functional Surgery organized colorectal surgeons to make consensus on the definition and terminology of mesentery, fascia, and space related to colon and rectum, to promote surgeons' understanding of modern anatomy related to colorectal surgery and promote academic communication.
Humans ; Rectum/surgery* ; Consensus ; Mesentery/anatomy & histology* ; Fascia/anatomy & histology* ; Colorectal Neoplasms

Understanding of a variety of membranous structures throughout the body,such as the fascia,the serous membrane,is of great importance to surgeons. This is especially valuable in abdominal surgery. With the rise of membrane theory in recent years,membrane anatomy has been widely recognized in the treatment of abdominal tumors,especially of gastrointestinal tumors. In clinical practice. The appropriate choice of intramembranous or extramembranous anatomy is appropriate to achieve precision surgery. Based on the current research results,this article described the application of membrane anatomy in the field of hepatobiliary surgery,pancreatic surgery,and splenic surgery,with the aim of blazed the path from modest beginnings.
Humans ; Mesentery/surgery* ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; Fascia/anatomy & histology*

The successful report of total mesorectal excision (TME)/complete mesocolic excision (CME) has encouraged people to apply this concept beyond colorectal surgery. However, the negative results of the JCOG1001 trial denied the effect of complete resection of the "mesogastrium" including the greater omentum on the oncological survival of gastric cancer patients. People even believe that the mesentery is unique in the intestine, because they have a vague understanding of the structure of the mesentery. The discovery of proximal segment of the dorsal mesogastrium (PSDM) proved that the greater omentum is not the mesogastrium, and further revised the structure (definition) of the mesentery and revealed its container characteristics, i.e. the mesentery is an envelope-like structure, which is formed by the primary fascia (and serosa) that enclose the tissue/organ/system and its feeding structures, leading to and suspended on the posterior wall of the body. Breakdown of this structure leads to the simultaneous reduction of surgical and oncological effects of surgery. People quickly realized the universality of this structure and causality which cannot be matched by the existing theories of organ anatomy and vascular anatomy, so a new theory and surgical map- membrane anatomy began to form, which led to radical surgery upgraded from histological en bloc resection to anatomic en bloc resection.
Humans ; Fascia/anatomy & histology* ; Laparoscopy ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Mesentery/surgery* ; Mesocolon/surgery* ; Omentum ; Serous Membrane ; Clinical Trials as Topic

The theory of membrane anatomy has been widely used in the field of colorectal surgery. The key point to perform high quality total mesorectal excision (TME) and complete mesocolic excision (CME) is to identify the correct anatomical plane. Intraoperative identification of the various fasciae and fascial spaces is the key to accessing the correct surgical plane and surgical success. The landmark vessels refer to the small vessels that originate from the original peritoneum on the surface of the abdominal viscera during embryonic development and are produced by the fusion of the fascial space. From the point of view of embryonic development, the abdominopelvic fascial structure is a continuous unit, and the landmark vessels on its surface do not change morphologically with the fusion of fasciae and have a specific pattern. Drawing on previous literature and clinical surgical observations, we believe that tiny vessels could be used to identify various fused fasciae and anatomical planes. This is a specific example of membrane anatomical surgery.
Humans ; Mesentery/surgery* ; Colonic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Colorectal Surgery ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; Peritoneum/surgery* ; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Laparoscopy

In the past decade, the concept of membrane anatomy has been gradually applied in gastric cancer surgery. Based on this theory, D2 lymphadenectomy plus complete mesogastric excision (D2+CME) has been proposed, which has been demonstrated to significantly reduce intraoperative bleeding and intraperitoneal free cancer cells during surgery, decrease surgical complications, and improve survival. These results indicate that membrane anatomy is feasible and efficacious in gastric cancer surgery. In this review, we will describe the important contents of membrane anatomy, including "Metastasis V"(2013, 2015), proximal segmentation of dorsal mesogastrium (2015), D2+CME procedure (2016), "cancer leak"(2018), and surgical outcomes of D2+CME (2022).
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Gastrectomy/methods* ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Mesentery/surgery*

There are still controversies as to the location of ligating the inferior mesenteric artery and the central lymph node dissection during rectal cancer surgery. The reason is that the level of evidence in this area is low. Existing studies are mostly retrospective, analyses or small-sample randomized controlled trials. These results showed no significant differences between high-ligation and low-ligation, in terms of anastomotic leakage and other short-term postoperative complications. Low-ligation seems better for the recovery of postoperative genitourinary function. Due to the low rate of central lymph node metastasis and many other confounding factors that affect the survival rate, it is difficult to conclude the survival benefits of ligation site or central node dissection. It is necessary to carry out some targeted, well-designed, large-scale randomized controlled trials to explain the related issues of inferior mesenteric artery ligation site and extent of central lymphadenectomy.
Humans ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Ligation/methods* ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior/surgery* ; Mesentery ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Rectum/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies

Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Mesentery/surgery* ; Ossification, Heterotopic/surgery*

Objective: At present, surgeons do not know enough about the mesenteric morphology of the colonic splenic flexure, resulting in many problems in the complete mesenteric resection of cancer around the splenic flexure. In this study, the morphology of the mesentery during the mobilization of the colonic splenic flexure was continuously observed in vivo, and from the embryological point of view, the unique mesenteric morphology of the colonic splenic flexure was reconstructed in three dimensions to help surgeons further understand the mesangial structure of the region. Methods: A total of 9 patients with left colon cancer who underwent laparoscopic radical resection with splenic flexure mobilization by the same group of surgeons in Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University from January 2018 to June 2019 were enrolled. The splenic flexure was mobilized using a "three-way approach" strategy based on a middle-lateral approach. During the process of splenic flexure mobilization, the morphology of the transverse mesocolon and descending mesocolon were observed and reconstructed from the embryological point of view. The lower margin of the pancreas was set as the axis, and 4 pictures for each patient (section 1-section 4) were taken during middle-lateral mobilization. Results: The median operation time of the splenic flexure mobilization procedure was 31 (12-55) minutes, and the median bleeding volume was 5 (2-30) ml. One patient suffered from lower splenic vessel injury during the operation and the bleeding was stopped successfully after hemostasis with an ultrasound scalpel. The transverse mesocolon root was observed in all 9 (100%) patients, locating under pancreas, whose inner side was more obvious and tough, and the structure gradually disappeared in the tail of the pancreatic body, replaced by smooth inter-transitional mesocolon and dorsal lobes of the descending colon. The mesenteric morphology of the splenic flexure was reconstructed by intraoperative observation. The transverse mesocolon was continuous with a fan-shaped descending mesocolon. During the embryonic stage, the medial part (section 1-section 2) of the transverse mesocolon and the descending mesocolon were pulled and folded by the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). Then, the transverse mesocolon root was formed by compression of the pancreas on the folding area of the transverse mesocolon and the descending mesocolon. The lateral side of the transverse mesocolon root (section 3-section 4) was distant from the mechanical traction of the SMA, and the corresponding folding area was not compressed by the tail of the pancreas. The posterior mesangial lobe of the transverse mesocolon and the descending mesocolon were continuous with each other, forming a smooth lobe. This smooth lobe laid flat on the corresponding membrane bed composed of the tail of pancreas, Gerota's fascia and inferior pole of the spleen. Conclusions: From an embryological point of view, this study reconstructs the mesenteric morphology of the splenic flexure and proposes a transverse mesocolon root structure that can be observed consistently intraopertively. Cutting the transverse mesocolon root at the level of Gerota's fascia can ensure the complete resection of the mesentery of the transverse colon.
Colectomy/methods* ; Colon, Transverse/surgery* ; Colonic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Dissection ; Fascia/anatomy & histology* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Mesentery/surgery* ; Mesocolon/surgery* ; Pancreas/surgery* ; Photography ; Spleen/surgery*

The mesentery is a continuous unity and the operation of digestive carcinoma is the process of mesenteric resection. This paper attempts to simplify the formation process of all kinds of fusion fascia in the process of digestive tract embryogenesis, and to illuminate the continuity of fusion fascia with a holistic concept. This is helpful for beginners to reversely dissect the fusion fascia and maintain the correct surgical plane during operation, and to achieve the purpose of complete mesenteric resection.
Colonic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Mesentery/surgery* ; Mesocolon

In radical gastrectomy, D2 systemic lymphadenectomy, which includes complete resection of the bursa sac and omentum, and D2 extended lymphadenectomy outside the bursa sac, is a standard procedure accepted by gastrointestinal surgeons generally. However, a series of clinical trials showed that both D2 extended lymphadenectomy and bursectomy could not improve oncologic benefit, but increase surgical risk. These findings showed a lot of conflicts in gastric cancer surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, even in oncological surgery. It was demonstrated that bursa sac and greater omentum were neither mesogastrium nor the proximal segment of dorsal mesogastrium (PSDM), which has been identified recently. Local physiological structures (such as blood vessels and lymphatic nodes) and pathological events (such as lymph nodes metastasis and metastasis V) only occur in mesentery in broad sense (i.e. PSDM). Broken PSDM during radical gastrectomy can result in cancer cell leakage into the operational field. Therefore, complete PSDM excision in the D2 field (D2+CME) is suggested as a better procedure for local advanced gastric cancer, which can get benefits not only in surgical hazard, but also in oncologic result. The results of PSDM research could lead to three changes: (1) resolving some long standing problems in gastric cancer surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, and even oncologic surgery; (2) opening an new era for finding and utilizing extra-intestinal mesentery in broad sense; (3) formulating the theory of membrane anatomy which may update, iterate and upgrade related information of classical anatomy, pathology, surgery and oncology.
Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Mesentery ; Stomach Neoplasms/surgery*