The concept of membrane anatomy has been widely accepted and applied in clinical practice, but there are still many theoretical and practical conflicts. This article elucidates the fundamental concepts and manifestations of membrane anatomy, delineating its comprehensive integration of anatomical and surgical disciplines. Thereafter, this article specifically discusses its differences from the traditional anatomy and surgery, and then clarifies the important role of membrane anatomy as the third generation of surgical anatomy and the new surgical concept for the development of pelvic surgery.

The concept of membrane anatomy has been widely accepted and applied in clinical practice, but there are still many theoretical and practical conflicts. This article elucidates the fundamental concepts and manifestations of membrane anatomy, delineating its comprehensive integration of anatomical and surgical disciplines. Thereafter, this article specifically discusses its differences from the traditional anatomy and surgery, and then clarifies the important role of membrane anatomy as the third generation of surgical anatomy and the new surgical concept for the development of pelvic surgery.

As an important part of tumor microenvironment, neutrophils are poorly understood due to their spatiotemporal heterogeneity in tumorigenesis. Here we defined, at single-cell resolution, CD44-CXCR2- neutrophils as tumor-specific neutrophils (tsNeus) in both mouse and human gastric cancer (GC). We uncovered a Hippo regulon in neutrophils with unique YAP signature genes (e.g., ICAM1, CD14, EGR1) distinct from those identified in epithelial and/or cancer cells. Importantly, knockout of YAP/TAZ in neutrophils impaired their differentiation into CD54+ tsNeus and reduced their antitumor activity, leading to accelerated GC progression. Moreover, the relative amounts of CD54+ tsNeus were found to be negatively associated with GC progression and positively associated with patient survival. Interestingly, GC patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy had increased numbers of CD54+ tsNeus. Furthermore, pharmacologically enhancing YAP activity selectively activated neutrophils to suppress refractory GC, with no significant inflammation-related side effects. Thus, our work characterized tumor-specific neutrophils in GC and revealed an essential role of YAP/TAZ-CD54 axis in tsNeus, opening a new possibility to develop neutrophil-based antitumor therapeutics.
Humans ; Animals ; Mice ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Neutrophils/pathology* ; Signal Transduction/genetics* ; YAP-Signaling Proteins ; Tumor Microenvironment ; Hyaluronan Receptors/genetics*

Pelvic fascia is considered to be one controversial human anatomic structure. According to the characteristics of specialized surgery, colorectal surgeons, gynecologic surgeons and urologic surgeons respectively marked the pelvic fascia, but the naming is not unified. For some specific anatomic structures (such as pelvic plexus), different scholars have different descriptions of their positions. The lack of standard anatomic terms makes it difficult to understand the corresponding anatomic structures, and also hinders the communication between disciplines. Combined with autopsy research, surgical observation and literature review, we discussed the common puzzles of pelvic clinical anatomy. The main points of this article are as follows. (1) Urogenital fascia and vesicohypogastric fascia are the components of visceral fascia. (2) The visceral fascia and fascia propria of rectum are two separate layers. (3) The pelvic plexus is located on the outside of the confluence of visceral fascia and Denonvilliers′ fascia. (4) To understand the pelvic lateral ligament from the perspective of layers. (5) To understand pelvic fascia from a holistic perspective.

There has been an upsurge of the theory of membrane anatomy in China, but it is still in the initial stage of establishing preliminary framework. The concept of fasciae in membrane anatomy actually refers to the fasciae constituting the particular plane or the 'holy plane’. Therefore, the membrane anatomy can't simply be defined as the anatomical relationship among fascia. The application of the membrane anatomy is also not just to pursue the avascular plane in the surgical field. Nowadays, nonstandard anatomical terms and diversification of views impede the development of the theory of the membrane anatomy. Fasciae occur in embryonic stage, undergo a series of changes in rotation and fusion, and lose the original features, which bring difficulties in understanding the anatomy of fasciae. In this paper, we restore the origin and continuity of fasciae related to the colorectal surgery by cadaveric study, surgical observation and literature review. Taking the TME for example, we also discuss the core content about the fasciae and plane related to 'mesenteric envelope’ and complete mesorectal excision. From the perspective of the fasciae integrity, we illustrate the definitions of important anatomical structure and standardized the terminology of fasciae. To study the origin and architecture of fasciae in the view of embryology, integrity and continuity will contribute to establish the standard theoretical system of membrane anatomy.

There has been an upsurge of the theory of membrane anatomy in China, but it is still in the initial stage of establishing preliminary framework. The concept of fasciae in membrane anatomy actually refers to the fasciae constituting the particular plane or the 'holy plane’. Therefore, the membrane anatomy can't simply be defined as the anatomical relationship among fascia. The application of the membrane anatomy is also not just to pursue the avascular plane in the surgical field. Nowadays, nonstandard anatomical terms and diversification of views impede the development of the theory of the membrane anatomy. Fasciae occur in embryonic stage, undergo a series of changes in rotation and fusion, and lose the original features, which bring difficulties in understanding the anatomy of fasciae. In this paper, we restore the origin and continuity of fasciae related to the colorectal surgery by cadaveric study, surgical observation and literature review. Taking the TME for example, we also discuss the core content about the fasciae and plane related to 'mesenteric envelope’ and complete mesorectal excision. From the perspective of the fasciae integrity, we illustrate the definitions of important anatomical structure and standardized the terminology of fasciae. To study the origin and architecture of fasciae in the view of embryology, integrity and continuity will contribute to establish the standard theoretical system of membrane anatomy.

Pelvic fascia is considered to be one controversial human anatomic structure. According to the characteristics of specialized surgery, colorectal surgeons, gynecologic surgeons and urologic surgeons respectively marked the pelvic fascia, but the naming is not unified. For some specific anatomic structures (such as pelvic plexus), different scholars have different descriptions of their positions. The lack of standard anatomic terms makes it difficult to understand the corresponding anatomic structures, and also hinders the communication between disciplines. Combined with autopsy research, surgical observation and literature review, we discussed the common puzzles of pelvic clinical anatomy. The main points of this article are as follows. (1) Urogenital fascia and vesicohypogastric fascia are the components of visceral fascia. (2) The visceral fascia and fascia propria of rectum are two separate layers. (3) The pelvic plexus is located on the outside of the confluence of visceral fascia and Denonvilliers′ fascia. (4) To understand the pelvic lateral ligament from the perspective of layers. (5) To understand pelvic fascia from a holistic perspective.

The theory of membrane surgery actually holds the same concepts as that of traditional cancer surgery, which believes that tumor spread is regarded as an isotropic process but the tumor is confined by the block of the membrane. Therefore, the radical resection can be achieved by complete mesentery excision along the membrane plane. The surgical practice derived from these conceptions is extended excision and lays emphasis on tumor-free margins. But the theory is controversial in the view of the existence of mesorectal fascial envelope and the feasibility of complete excision of mesorectum along the "holy plane". Based on ontogenetic anatomy, the compartment theory suggeststhat tumor spread is not isotropic, and it is locally confined within the ontogenetic compartment derived from a common primordium for a relatively long phase during their natural course. Local tumor is suppressed by the boundary instead of fascia. The anatomical territory developing from each anlage primordium may be separated morphologically. Consequently, ontogenetic compartment theory states that optimal local control of cancer is achieved by whole compartment resection, irrespective of margin width. The compartment model of tumor spread provides explanations for total mesorectal excision (TME) which excises the complete rectum compartment including the rectum and its surrounding vascular and ligamentous mesenteries. The compartment theory may set up the new principles for surgical tumor treatment, namely the resection of the tumor bearing compartment rather than target organ.

Objective: To perform an anatomical observation on the extension of the mesocolon to the mesorectum and the continuity of the fasciae lining the abdomen and pelvis, in order to clarify the appropriate surgical plane of total mesorectal excision. Methods: This is an descriptive study. The operation videos of 61 cases (28 males, 33 females, median age of 61) were collected. All the patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery from January 2018 to December 2018 in Yangpu Hospital, including low anterior resection for rectal cancer in 25 cases, left hemicolectomy for descending colon cancer in 15 cases, and subtotal resection of the colon for intractable constipation in 21 cases. Among these 21 constipation patients, 8 received additional modified Duhamel surgeries. Gross anatomy was performed on 24 adult cadavers provided by Department of Anatomy, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, including 23 formalin-fixed and 1 fresh cadaver (12 males, 12 females). Sixty-one patients and 24 cadavers had no previous abdominal or pelvic surgical history. The anatomy and extension of fasciae related to descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum, especially the morphology of Toldt fascia, and the continuities of mesocolon and mesorectum were observed carefully. The distribution characteristics of the fasciae and anatomical landmarks during laparoscopic surgery were recorded and described. Results: The anatomical study on 24 cadavers showed that visceral fascia was the densest connective tissue in the pelvic, posterolateral to the rectum, and stretched as a hammock to lift all pelvic organs. Among 61 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, 36 (59.0%) needed to free the left colon during operation, and Toldt fascia in the descending colon segment presented as potential, avascular and extensible loose connective tissue plane between the mesocolon and posterior Gerota fascia; 33 (54.1%) needed to free the rectum during operation, and Toldt fascia extended downward to pelvis as loose connective tissue between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia; the fascia propria of the rectum exposed completely in 32 (32/33, 97.0%) cases, which ran downward and fused with visceral fascia at the level of the fourth sacral vertebra. The anatomy of 24 cadavers also showed that fascia propria of the rectum fused with visceral fascia at the level of Waldeyer fascia. The fusion line of these two fasciae was supposed to be the extension of Waldeyer fascia. There were two avascular planes behind the rectum: one between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia, and the other between the visceral fascia and parietal fascia. In 8 constipation cases undergoing laparoscopic subtotal colon resection plus modified Duhamel operation, both mesocolon and mesorectum needed to be mobilized. It was obvious that the mesocolon of descending colon extended and became the mesocolon of sigmoid colon, and ran further into the pelvic and became the mesorectum. The colon fascia of descending colon served as the natural boundary of mesocolon extended downward as the fascia of sigmoid colon and the fascia propria of the rectum, respectively. Toldt fascia locating between mesocolon of descending colon and Gerota fascia extended to pelvis as the 'presacral space’ between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral fascia. Gerota fascia in descending colon segment extended as urogenital fascia in sigmoid colon segment and visceral fascia in the pelvis, respectively. In the cadaver anatomy study, the visceral fascia served as a corridor carrying the hypogastric nerve, and ureter was observed in 23 (23/24, 95.8%) cases. The visceral fascia passed from posterior to anterior lateral of rectum, fusing with Denonvilliers fascia in a fan shape. The pelvic plexus located exactly external to the junction of visceral fascia and Denonvilliers fascia. Pelvic splanchnic nerves went through the parietal fascia toward to the inferolateral of the pelvic plexus. Conclusion Fascia propria of the rectum and the visceral pelvic fascia are two independent layers of fascia, and the TME surgical plane is between the fascia propria of the rectum and visceral pelvic fascia instead of between the visceral and the parietal pelvic fascia.

The theory of membrane surgery actually holds the same concepts as that of traditional cancer surgery, which believes that tumor spread is regarded as an isotropic process but the tumor is confined by the block of the membrane. Therefore, the radical resection can be achieved by complete mesentery excision along the membrane plane. The surgical practice derived from these conceptions is extended excision and lays emphasis on tumor?free margins. But the theory is controversial in the view of the existence of mesorectal fascial envelope and the feasibility of complete excision of mesorectum along the "holy plane". Based on ontogenetic anatomy, the compartment theory suggeststhat tumor spread is not isotropic, and it is locally confined within the ontogenetic compartment derived from a common primordium for a relatively long phase during their natural course. Local tumor is suppressed by the boundary instead of fascia. The anatomical territory developing from each anlage primordium may be separated morphologically. Consequently, ontogenetic compartment theory states that optimal local control of cancer is achieved by whole compartment resection, irrespective of margin width. The compartment model of tumor spread provides explanations for total mesorectal excision (TME) which excises the complete rectum compartment including the rectum and its surrounding vascular and ligamentous mesenteries. The compartment theory may set up the new principles for surgical tumor treatment, namely the resection of the tumor bearing compartment rather than target organ.