Long term complications following pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer, incidence and potential risk factors: a single institution experience.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of long term lymphadenectomy complications in primary surgery for endometrial cancer and to elucidate risk factors for these complications. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was carried out for all patients with endometrial cancer managed at Parma University Hospital Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics between 2010 and 2016. Inclusion criteria were surgical procedure including hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy (pelvic or pelvic and aortic). We identified patients with postoperative lymphocele and lower extremity lymphedema. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictive factors for postoperative complications. RESULTS: Of the 249 patients tested, 198 underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy (79.5%), and 51 (20.5%) of those underwent both pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Among the 249 patients, 92 (36.9 %) developed lymphedema while 43 (17.3%) developed lymphocele. Multivariate analysis showed that addition of para-artic lymphadenectomy was an independent predictor for both lymphedema (odds ratio (OR) 2.764, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.023 to 7.470) and lymphocele (OR 5.066, 95% CI 1.605 to 15.989). Moreover, postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (OR 2.733, 95% CI 1.149 to 6.505) and identification of any positive lymph node (OR 19.391, 95% CI 1.486 to 253.0) were significantly correlated with lymphedema, while removal of circumflex iliac nodes (OR 8.596, 95% CI 1.144 to 65.591) was associated with lymphoceles occurrence. CONCLUSION: Although sentinel lymph node navigation is a promising option, lymphadenectomy represents the primary treatment in many patients with endometrial cancer. However, comprehensive nodal dissection remains associated with a high rate of long term complications, such as lymphedema and lymphocele. Avoiding risk factors that are related to the development of these postoperative complications is often difficult and, therefore, the strategy to assess lymph nodal status in these women must be tailored to obtain the maximum results in terms of oncological and functional outcome.

Prognostic role of mesenteric lymph nodes involvement in patients undergoing posterior pelvic exenteration during radical or supra-radical surgery for advanced ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze the prognostic role and the practical implication of mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) involvements in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC). METHODS: A total of 429 patients with AOC underwent surgery between December 2007 and May 2017. We included in the study 83 patients who had primary (PDS) or interval debulking surgery (IDS) for AOC with bowel resection. Numbers, characteristics and surgical implication of MLN involvement were considered. RESULTS: Eighty-three patients were submitted to bowel resection during cytoreduction for AOC. Sixty-seven patients (80.7%) underwent primary debulking surgery (PDS). Sixteen patients (19.3%) experienced interval debulking surgery (IDS). 43 cases (51.8%) showed MLN involvement. A statistic correlation between positive MLN and pelvic lymph nodes (PLN) (p = 0.084), aortic lymph nodes (ALN) (p = 0.008) and bowel infiltration deeper than serosa (p = 0.043) was found. A longer overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival was observed in case of negative MLN in the first 20 months of follow-up. No statistical differences between positive and negative MLN in terms of operative complication, morbidity, Ca-125, type of surgery (radical vs supra-radical), length and site of bowel resection, residual disease and site of recurrence were observed. CONCLUSIONS: An important correlation between positive MLN, ALN and PLN was detected; these results suggest a lymphatic spread of epithelial AOC similar to that of primary bowel cancer. The absence of residual disease after surgery is an independent prognostic factor; to achieve this result should be recommended a radical bowel resection during debulking surgery for AOC with bowel involvement.

Endoloop technique for laparoscopic cornuectomy: A safe and effective approach for the treatment of interstitial pregnancy.

Interstitial pregnancy (IP) occurs within the intramural portion of the tube and accounts for 2% of ectopic pregnancies. Surgery is considered the most definitive treatment for IPs, although there is no clear consensus regarding the optimal approach. In this paper we describe the advantages of cornual resection performed using the Endoloop technique and present three patients who were successfully treated using this approach. IP diagnosis was confirmed at two and three-dimensional ultrasound and laparoscopy in all cases. Fertility sparing surgery with cornuectomy by Endoloop ligature technique demonstrated low mean operating time and blood loss, and allowed the quick recovery and discharge of all patients. Laparoscopy has become the gold standard surgical approach for IP. Cornual resection or excision is the most commonly performed procedure. In our case series, the Endoloop technique showed excellent treatment outcomes in terms of effectiveness, blood loss, operative time, recovery and post-procedure fertility. Because of these features, Endoloop appears to be a suitable option for the laparoscopic management of IPs, both in elective and emergency settings.

Conservative treatment for hypervascularised placental polyp with secondary haemoperitoneum: a case report.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the first case to our knowledge of Hypervascularised placental polyp (HPP) presenting with acute pelvic pain and hemoperitoneum. CASE REPORT: A 33 years-old woman with a history of medical abortion three months earlier came to our attention complaining acute pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding. Transvaginal (TV) and transabdominal (TA) ultrasound (US) demonstrated a highly vascular intrauterine lesion and intra-abdominal free fluid consistent with a diagnosis of haemoperitoneum. Emergency laparoscopy yielded no intra-abdominal bleeding and was followed by bilateral selective embolization of the uterine arteries due to persistent vaginal bleeding. Hysteroscopy and pathology findings were consistent with a final diagnosis of HPP. CONCLUSION: HPP may occur months or years after pregnancy or abortion and the clinical picture of abnormal vaginal bleeding associated with acute abdominal pain and haemoperitoneum should warrant to consider HPP among the differential diagnosis. Clinical and imaging findings need to be considered when planning the conservative management of HPP. Our experience suggests that uterine artery embolization is a safe and effective for the conservative treatment of highly vascularized HPP.

Posterior pelvic exenteration and retrograde total hysterectomy in patients with locally advanced ovarian cancer: Clinical and functional outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical outcomes and postoperative quality of life in patients affected by locally advanced ovarian cancer who underwent pelvic posterior exenteration with Hudson-Delle Piane radical retrograde hysterectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study was done on a retrospective cohort using data from 22 patients who underwent surgery between 2010 and 2014 at the Gynecological Oncologic Center of Parma, Parma, Italy. RESULTS: Residual disease after surgery (Sugarbacker index) was absent (CC-0) in 68% of cases. Tumor size was < 2.5 mm (CC-1) in 14% of cases and between 2.5 mm and 2.5 cm (CC-2) in 18% of cases. Complications during surgical procedure occurred in 64% of patients (14/22), but without severe consequences. Immediate postoperative complications (≤ 30 days) occurred in 82% of patients (18/22), and delayed complications (> 30 days) occurred in 23% (5/22) of patients. No patient died because of a complication. Urinary and rectal incontinence occurred in 5% and 16% of patients, respectively. Disease recurrence occurred in 58% of patients, median disease-free survival was 14 months (range, 6-36 months), and median overall survival was 21 months (range, 6-42 months). CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed that pelvic posterior exenteration associated with retrograde radical hysterectomy represents the safest radical surgical approach to advanced ovarian cancer, which permits preservation of the pelvic autonomic nerve plexus and, therefore, bladder and colorectal functions.