Abstract:
Patients develop a variety of bowel dysfunction following
low or very low anterior resection for rectal cancer. These
symptoms are known collectively as low anterior resection
syndrome (LARS), and the extent to which it affects the
quality of life of these patients can be assessed by the LARS
score. Knowledge about anorectal functional anatomy is a
prerequisite to understanding the aetio-pathology and clinical
manifestation of LARS. Structural and functional impairment
of the internal and external anal sphincter and the anal
transition zone, loss of reservoir function of the rectum,
increased colonic motility, proximal diversion, enteric
nervous system remodelling and neuropathy of autonomic
nerves in the pelvis are known to cause LARS.
