Minimally Invasive Transanal Surgery, also known as TAMIS, was the focus of a dedicated course at Humanitas University. It is a highly specialized surgical technique to remove polyps and some colorectal cancers with a minimally invasive approach.
We talked about it with Prof. Antonino Spinelli, head of Colon and Rectum Surgery in Humanitas and lecturer at Humanitas University.
TAMIS: minimally invasive and conservative
The Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery is a surgical technique, used since 2010, that thanks to the mini-invasive scan offers the possibility of a safe treatment in the removal of tumors located in the rectum, the last stretch of the intestine before the anus, avoiding to the patient the discomforts and risks of a classical surgery usually much more invasive, as it requires access from the outside, with surgical cut and subsequent removal of the stretch of intestine affected by the tumor.
“The TAMIS technique is a procedure whose access to the site of surgery is through natural orifices (in this case the anus), without the need for surgical incisions,” explained Professor Antonino Spinelli. “It also allows a significant saving of organ, because it removes only damaged tissues, leaving the rest of the intestine intact. The patient does not suffer the cutting and removal of a part of the rectum, a complex intervention and following which there is a greater risk of complications, as well as the possibility of having to pack a deviation of the intestine with an external orifice, temporary or permanent, which brings with it an important impact on the quality of life of the patient,” concluded Spinelli.
Surgeons in theory and practice lessons with experts
Professor Spinelli was the director of the TAMIS surgical technique course, which was held at Humanitas. Together with him two internationally renowned experts: Dr. Roel Hompes, of the Department of Colorectal Surgery at the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, and Professor Roberto Persiani, head of UOS Mini-Invasive Oncology Surgery at the Catholic Sacred Heart University of Rome.
The aim of the course was to provide the basic principles and technical skills to be able to approach this new procedure.
Alongside an in-depth study of topics such as the history of TAMIS, how to set its execution (instrumentation, techniques, suturing), the role for benign lesions and its use for the treatment of early rectum cancer (a theme illustrated by Professor Spinelli), space was also given to more practical aspects, with the use of videos and bio-logical models on which the course participants were able to practice.
