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Waldeyer’s fascia: anatomical location and relationship to neighboring fasciae in retrorectal space

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Abstract

Purpose

The term Waldeyer’s fascia has caused confusion in surgery for rectal cancer. We have therefore dissected endopelvic fasciae to clarify the structure and location of Waldeyer’s fascia, and to determine its anatomical relationships with adjacent fasciae.

Methods

Twenty cadavers (13 males and 7 females) were dissected. Each specimen was sectioned in the sagittal plane and both hemipelvises were examined.

Results

Waldeyer’s fascia was observed in all specimens originating from the presacral fascia at the S2–S4 level and fusing with the posterior leaf of the mesorectal parietal fascia. Waldeyer’s fascia divided the retrorectal space (RRS) into inferior and superior compartments, with the upper leaf constituting the floor of the superior compartment and the lower leaf constituting the dome of the inferior compartment. There were no nerves, blood vessels or lymphatic vessels within the two leaves.

Conclusion

Waldeyer’s fascia was located between the mesorectal parietal and presacral fasciae. Waldeyer’s fascia included two leaves, which jointly divided the RRS into inferior and superior compartments. Waldeyer’s fascia is a pivotal anatomical structure in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer.

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Abbreviations

RRS:

Retrorectal space

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Acknowledgment

We thank Professor Wang Yu for his advice on dissection.

Conflict of interest

We hereby declare that there are no conflicts of interest in this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, The Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 600 Yishan Road, Shanghai, 200233, People’s Republic of China

    Zhi-ming Jin, Jia-Yuan Peng & Qing-Chao Zhu

  2. Department of Surgery, Rui Jin Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 197 Ruijin Road Second, 200025, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Lu Yin

Authors
  1. Zhi-ming Jin
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  2. Jia-Yuan Peng
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  3. Qing-Chao Zhu
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  4. Lu Yin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lu Yin.

Additional information

Z. Jin and J.-Y. Peng contributed equally to this manuscript.

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Jin, Zm., Peng, JY., Zhu, QC. et al. Waldeyer’s fascia: anatomical location and relationship to neighboring fasciae in retrorectal space. Surg Radiol Anat 33, 851–854 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-011-0887-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-011-0887-6

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