A comprehensive review of transanal total mesorectal excision

I am indebted to my colleague and friend Dr. Scott Steele for his invitation to coauthor a free standing issue of Clinics in Colorectal Surgery about transanal total mesorectal excision. I am also grateful to my alumnus, co-editor, colleague, and friend, Dr. Dana Sands, for her time and expertise. Furthermore, I thank our many coauthors for their time and expertise. As you will see in reading our issue of Clinics in Colorectal Surgery on transanal total mesorectal excision, the authors and my co-editor, Dr. Sands, have provided a completely current comprehensive evaluation of the history, current status, and future directions of transanal total mesorectal excision. Our freestanding volume includes technical details, results, and recommendations as well as provides an assessment of the potential complications and their avoidance. Again, I thank Dr. Steele, Dr. Sands and all of our coauthors for this outstanding work product.