In Western countries, the gold-standard therapeutic strategy for rectal cancer is preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) following total mesorectal excision (TME), without lateral lymph node dissection (LLND). However, preoperative CRT has recently been reported to be insufficient to control lateral lymph node recurrence in cases of enlarged lateral lymph nodes before CRT, and LLND is considered necessary in such cases. We performed a literature review on aspects of pelvic anatomy associated with rectal surgery and LLND, and then combined this information with our experience and knowledge of pelvic anatomy. In this review, drawing upon research using a 3-dimensional anatomical model and actual operative views, we aimed to clarify the essential anatomy for LLND. The LLND procedure was developed in Asian countries and can now be safely performed in terms of functional preservation. Nonetheless, the longer operative time, hemorrhage, and higher complication rates with TME accompanied by LLND than with TME alone indicate that LLND is still a challenging procedure. Laparoscopic or robotic LLND has been shown to be useful and is widely performed; however, without a sufficient understanding of anatomical landmarks, misrecognition of vessels and nerves often occurs. To perform safe and accurate LLND, understanding the landmarks of LLND is essential.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Colorectal Surgery John H. Marks, Brandon K. Vu, Sarah Liu, Deborah Nagle Surgical Clinics of North America.2026; 106(5): 733. CrossRef
Impact of lateral lymph node dissection on urogenital function and surgical outcomes following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis Hao-Zhu Liu, Xiao Bai, Xin-Mao Zhu, Dong-Qiu Dai Surgical Endoscopy.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Clinical case of simultaneous robot-assisted low anterior resection with radical prostatectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection I. S. Ignatov, A. A. Derinov, V. V. Balaban, E. A. Bezrukov, N. N. Muradova, P. A. Volkova, A. K. Yaylakhanyan, P. V. Tsarkov Surgery and Oncology.2026; 16(2): 144. CrossRef
da Vinci robotic-assisted micro-space dissection and autonomic nerve network preservation technique in the total mesorectal excision procedure for rectal cancer: a single-center, retrospective, observational, real-world study Fanghai Han, Yequan Xie, Guangyu Zhong, Jintao Zeng, Yang Chen, Jianan Tan, Shengning Zhou Journal of Robotic Surgery.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Learning curve for lateral lymph node dissection in rectal cancer – a systematic review of literature D. Kehagias, L. Baldari, E. Cassinotti, L. Boni, C. Lampropoulos, I. Kehagias Techniques in Coloproctology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Deep learning-based vessel and nerve recognition model for lateral lymph node dissection: a retrospective feasibility study Shoma Sasaki, Daichi Kitaguchi, Tomohiro Noda, Hiroki Matsuzaki, Hiro Hasegawa, Nobuyoshi Takeshita, Masaaki Ito Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Clinical implications of radiologic criteria and prognostic factors for lateral lymph node metastasis in low rectal cancer Gyung Mo Son Annals of Coloproctology.2025; 41(6): 489. CrossRef
The role of lateral pelvic lymph node dissection in advanced rectal cancer: a review of current evidence and outcomes Gyu-Seog Choi, Hye Jin Kim Annals of Coloproctology.2024; 40(4): 363. CrossRef
Dissection layer selection based on an understanding of pelvic fascial anatomy in transanal total mesorectal excision Daichi Kitaguchi, Masaaki Ito Annals of Coloproctology.2024; 40(4): 375. CrossRef