Unchanged expression of whole neurons in the myenteric plexus in the neorectum after anterior resection.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to study the distribution of neurons in the myenteric plexus of the neorectum after anterior resection and determine changes in the number of whole neurons.

METHODOLOGY: From January 2002 to December 2008, 20 patients with local recurrence or new neoplasms in the neorectum after anterior resection for rectal cancer were enrolled in the neorectum group and another 20 patients with sigmoid colon cancer allocated by age and gender were enrolled in the control group. Formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue sections were collected and studied using anti-HuC/HuD. The number of whole neurons in the myenteric plexus were counted postoperatively.

RESULTS

The mean number of whole neurons in the myenteric plexus was 8.22 +/- 2.70/mm in neorectum group vs. 8.16 +/- 2.67/mm in control group (P = 0.944), without significant difference.

CONCLUSIONS

After anterior resection, whole neurons in the myenteric plexus in the neorectum did not change. The denervation has no effect on the change of the number of whole neurons in the myenteric plexus in the neorectum.