Posterior mesorectal thickness as a predictor of increased operative time in rectal cancer surgery: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundIn rectal cancer surgery, larger mesorectal fat area has been shown to correlate with increased intraoperative difficulty. Prior studies were mostly in Asian populations with average body mass indices (BMIs) less than 25 kg/m2. This study aimed to define the relationship between radiological variables on pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and intraoperative difficulty in a North American population.MethodsThis is a single-center …