Emmertsen and Laurberg developed the Low Anterior Resection Score (LARS) to evaluate patients who have undergone a low anterior resection for rectal cancer. The authors are from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark.
Patient: status post low anterior resection
Parameters:
(1) incontinence for flatus
(2) incontinence for liquid stools
(3) frequency of bowel movements
(4) clustering of stools (need to defecate within 1 hour of a previous bowel movement)
(5) urgency
|
Parameter |
Finding |
Points |
|
incontinence of flatus |
never |
0 |
|
|
less than once a week |
4 |
|
|
at least once a week |
7 |
|
incontinence of liquid stool |
never |
0 |
|
|
less than once a week |
3 |
|
|
at least once a week |
3 |
|
frequency of bowel movements per day |
>= 8 times |
4 |
|
|
4 to 7 times |
2 |
|
|
1 to 3 times |
0 |
|
|
less than once a day |
5 |
|
clustering of stools |
never |
0 |
|
|
less than once a week |
9 |
|
|
at least once a week |
11 |
|
urgency |
never |
0 |
|
|
less than once a week |
11 |
|
|
at least once a week |
16 |
where:
• In the implementation incontinence of liquid stool is represented by a yes/no question.
total LARS score =
= SUM(points for all 5 parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 42
• The higher the score the more severe the low anterior resection syndrome.
|
LARS |
Interpretation |
|
0 to 20 |
none |
|
21 to 29 |
minor |
|
30 to 42 |
major |
Purpose: To evaluate a patient who has had a low anterior resection using the low anterior resection score of Emmertsen and Laurberg.
Specialty: Gastroenterology, Orthopedic Surgery, General Surgery
Objective: complication detection
ICD-10: K91.8,
