Remarkably, I have been invited this very month to four major meetings on the subject of Transanal Mesorectal Excision; in four countries Catalonia, Italy, Belgium and The UK.

My prediction that the literature on this subject would blossom in 2013 and beyond has proved correct.

Today's data from Barcelona is truly a milestone however taking stock is indeed timely:

TAMIS could still be "binned" by a sceptical majority "if it ain't bust why fix it?" (Brendan Moran) or it may simply find a niche for the difficult low male pelvis in specialist centres that have studied the technique.

Alternatively, if TaTME can be developed, standardized and the excellent growing audio visual material moulded into a superior teaching package it could become the preferred standard of the future.

Today's AIS meeting makes this fundamental change a real possibility.