TME

Medical abbreviation · Surgical

TME
Stands forTotal mesorectal excision
CategoriesMedical

TME stands for Total mesorectal excision, a surgical abbreviation.

Surgical technique for rectal cancer that removes the rectum together with its intact envelope of fat, blood vessels and lymph nodes (the mesorectum) by dissecting along a precise embryologic plane. It is the standard of care for mid and low rectal cancers.

Example: Pathology: complete TME with a negative circumferential margin.

Usage notes

Introduced by English surgeon Bill Heald in 1982, TME lowered local recurrence rates dramatically compared with earlier blunt dissection. Pathologists grade the completeness of the specimen. Laparoscopic, robotic and transanal (taTME) versions exist.

More surgical abbreviations

  • ALND – Axillary lymph node dissection
  • Appy – Appendectomy
  • APR – Abdominoperineal resection
  • BMP – Bone morphogenetic protein
  • BMT – Bilateral myringotomy and tubes
  • Circ – Circumcision
  • CTR – Carpal tunnel release
  • Cysto – Cystoscopy
  • DIEP – Deep inferior epigastric perforator (flap)
  • DOS – Day of surgery
  • EBL – Estimated blood loss
  • ERAS – Enhanced recovery after surgery

See all 51 surgical abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.