The effectiveness of pelvic floor rehabilitation on low anterior resection syndrome (LARS): A systematic review and meta-analysis
Main Article Content
Abstract
Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) is a common complication after rectal cancer surgery, which significantly impairs patients’ quality of life. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pelvic floor rehabilitation (PFR) in improving LARS symptoms. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, with literature searches performed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library from January 2020 to August 2025. Risk of bias was assessed using the RoB 2.0 tool, and the certainty of evidence was graded using the GRADE approach. A total of 454 patients from eight randomized controlled trials were included. PFR significantly reduced LARS scores compared with controls (MD = –4.56; 95% CI: -7.19 to -1.92; p = 0.0007) and also improved fecal incontinence (FI) scores (MD = -0.19; 95% CI: -0.39 to 0; p = 0.05). The certainty of evidence ranged from moderate to high. Moreover, PFR was associated with improved quality of life. Pelvic floor rehabilitation appears to be an effective intervention and should be integrated into clinical practice for patients following low anterior resection.
Article Details
Keywords
Pelvic floor rehabilitation; Low anterior resection syndrome; LARS score; rectal cancer
References
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