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A recent study conducted at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio examined the rate of proctectomy (surgical removal of the rectum) and rectal cancer in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) who underwent total abdominal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (surgical connection of the small intestine to the rectum). The study found that among 197 FAP patients included in the study, 8% underwent proctectomy, with indications including rectal cancer, high-grade dysplasia, and progressive polyp burden. The number of rectal polyps at the time of surgery was associated with the likelihood of proctectomy, but not with the development of rectal cancer. The researchers concluded that with appropriate selection criteria and surveillance, total abdominal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis remains a safe and important treatment option for FAP patients. [Extracted from the article]