Obturator Nerve Injury in Robotic Pelvic Surgery: Scenarios and Management Strategies.

BACKGROUND: Obturator nerve injury (ONI) is an uncommon complication of pelvic surgery, usually reported in 0.2-5.7% of cases undergoing surgical treatment of urological and gynecological malignancies involving pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND). OBJECTIVE: To describe how an ONI may occur during robotic pelvic surgery and the corresponding management strategies. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We retrospectively analyzed video content on intraoperative ONI provided by robotic surgeons from high-volume centers. SURGICAL PROCEDURE: ONI was identified during PLND and managed according to the type of nerve injury. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: The management approach varies with the type of injury. Crush injury frequently occurs at an advanced stage of PLND. For a crush injury to the obturator nerve caused by a clip, management only requires its safe removal. Three situations can occur if the nerve is transected: (1) transection with feasible approximation and tension-free nerve anastomosis; (2) transection with challenging approximation requiring certain strategies for proper nerve anastomosis; and (3) transection with a hidden proximal nerve ending that may initially appear intact, but is clearly injured when revealed by further dissection. Each case has different management strategies with a common aim of prompt repair of the anatomic disruption to restore proper nerve conduction. CONCLUSIONS: ONI is a preventable complication that requires proper identification of the anatomy and high-risk areas when performing pelvic lymph node dissection. Prompt intraoperative recognition and repair using the management strategies described offer patients the best chance of recovery without sequelae. PATIENT SUMMARY: We describe the different ways in which the obturator nerve in the pelvic area can be damaged during urological or gynecological surgeries. This is a preventable complication and we describe how it can be avoided and different management options, depending on the type of nerve injury.

Comparison of oncological outcomes and major complications between laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and abdominal radical hysterectomy for stage IB1 cervical cancer with a tumour size less than 2 cm.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the oncological outcomes and major complications of laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) and abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) for stage IB1 cervical cancer (FIGO 2009) with a tumour size less than 2 cm. METHODS: We retrospectively compared the oncological outcomes and major complications of 1207 stage IB1 cervical cancer patients with a tumour size less than 2 cm who received LRH (n = 546) or ARH (n = 661) in 37 hospitals. RESULTS: (1) There was no significant difference in 3-year overall survival (OS; 97.3% vs. 98.5%, P = 0.288) or 3-year disease-free survival (DFS; 95.1% vs. 95.4%, P = 0.792) between LRH (n = 546) and ARH (n = 661).(2) The rate of any 1 complication refers to the incidence of one or more complications in a patient, which was higher with LRH than ARH (OR = 4.047, 95% CI = 2.035-8.048, P < 0.001). Additionally, intraoperative complications occurred with LRH (OR = 12.313, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.571-96.493, P = 0.017), and postoperative complications (OR = 3.652, 95% CI = 1.763-7.562, P < 0.001) were higher with LRH than ARH. The ureteral injury rate was higher with LRH than with ARH (1.50% vs. 0.20%, OR = 9.814, 95% CI = 1.224-78.712, P = 0.032). The ureterovaginal fistula rate was higher with LRH than ARH. The rates of obturator nerve injury, bladder injury, vesicovaginal fistula, rectovaginal fistula, venous thromboembolism, bowel obstruction, chylous leakage, pelvic haematoma, and haemorrhage were similar between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The oncological outcomes of LRH and ARH for stage IB1 cervical cancer patients with a tumour size less than 2 cm do not differ significantly. However, incidences of any 1 complication, intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications were higher with LRH than ARH, with complications manifesting mainly as ureteral injury and uterovaginal fistula.

Rare Intraoperative and Postoperative Complications After Transabdominal Laparoscopic Hernia Repair: Results from the Multicenter Wall Hernia Group Registry.

Background: Inguinal hernioplasty is the most frequently performed operation in the Western world today. Although the laparoscopic approach for inguinal hernia repair has shown excellent results in terms of complications and recurrences, the anterior approach is still the most used. Postoperative pain and recurrences are the most widely studied complications in both approaches, but there is little information about the often more troublesome rare complications of laparoscopic surgery and their treatment. Methods: In the period from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019, 1874 hernioplasty operations were performed with the transabdominal approach and recorded prospectively in the Wall Hernia Group database. The mean follow-up was 47 months (range 3-64 months). All less frequent complications were analyzed and a literature review was carried out to assess the presence of similar cases and their treatment in other series. Results: Eight cases of rare complications were identified and subdivided according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. They included a bowel perforation, 4 cases of bleeding, 2 bowel obstructions, and an injury to the motor branch of the obturator nerve. The postoperative course in these patients was significantly longer than in patients with a regular postoperative course. In 2 cases the complication occurred during the first admission, while the remaining 6 patients had to be readmitted within 30 days after discharge. Conclusions: Although serious postoperative complications in laparoscopic inguinal hernioplasty are rare, all surgeons, also those who have completed the learning curve, should be aware of their possible occurrence.

Schwannoma anciano del nervio obturador: una rara causa de neuralgia / Ancient schwannoma of the obturator nerve: an uncommon cause of pelvic neuralgia

Los tumores retroperitoneales son lesiones infrecuentes. Las tumoraciones nerviosas benignas como los schwannomas representan menos del 3% de ellos, siendo extremadamente raros los que afectan el nervio obturador. Presentamos el caso de un paciente con importante afectación funcional en miembro inferior izquierdo y dolor pélvico, al que se le diagnosticó neoplasia retroperitoneal. Fue intervenido por vía laparoscópica objetivándose la dependencia de la lesión del nervio obturador. Se llevó a cabo una exéresis completa de la lesión preservando parcialmente el nervio. El paciente tuvo una evolución funcional y álgica muy favorable. La anatomía patología reveló la presencia de schwannoma, del denominado subtipo "anciano", sin datos de malignidad. Consideramos que el informe de un caso como este puede ayudar a conocer una patología muy infrecuente y a tener en consideración algunos puntos clave como la técnica de abordaje y la necesidad de preservación de las estructuras nerviosas.

Retroperitoneal tumors are uncommon; benign tumors originating in the nerve cells as schwannomas represent less than 3%, while schwannomas of the obturator nerve are extremely rare. We report the case of a male patient with significant functional compromise of the left lower limb and pelvic pain who was diagnosed with a retroperitoneal tumor. The patient underwent laparoscopic surgery during which the compromise of the obturator nerve was evident. The lesion was completely resected with partial preservation of the nerve. The patient progressed with favorable functional recovery and pain relief. The histopathological examination reported a benign ancient schwannoma. We believe that this case report can help to understand a very rare condition and consider some key points such as the technique of approach and the need for preservation of the nerve structures.

Comparison of the harmonic scalpel with scissors in women who experience obturator nerve injury during lymph node dissection for gynaecological malignancies.

OBJECTIVES: Lymphadenectomy is crucial for accurate staging in most gynecological malignancies. Serious complications can occur during the surgery. The present study aimed to present the early and late findings associated with obturator nerve injury, which is rarely observed during lymphadenectomy but can result in serious sequela if not noticed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The files of the patients who underwent lymphadenectomy at our clinic between 2012 and 2018 were examined. Patients with obturator nerve incisions were identified retrospectively. RESULTS: In total, 287 women patients underwent lymphadenectomy at our clinic between 2012 and 2018. Examination of surgical notes revealed that nine patients underwent obturator nerve incisions using a scissor or a harmonic scalpel (energy- activated ultrasonic scissors). With respect to management of obturator nerve damage, no significant difference was found between the use of a harmonic scalpel and scissors (p < 1.000) and the trendelenburg and lithotomy positions (p < 0.167). In addition, no significant difference was found between laparoscopy and laparotomy in terms of surgical type (p < 0.167). At 6 months post-operatively, sensory-motor examinations and EMG findings of the patients were completely normal. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeries performed for gynaecological malignancies have high mortality and morbidity rates. Moreover, in the event of a complication such as nerve damage during laparoscopy, successful management of the complication before the patient undergoes laparotomy allows the patient to continue benefitting from the advantages of the laparoscopy. The results of our study show that these high-risk surgeries should be performed in advanced and well-equipped medical centres by teams experienced in gynaecological oncology.

Neuropathic painful complications due to endopelvic nerve lesions after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: Three case reports.

RATIONALE: Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) is the most frequent strategy used for the surgical remedy of patients with localized prostate cancer. Although there is awareness about potential patient positioning nerve injuries, iatrogenic nerve lesions are less described in the literature. Here, we report 3 cases of patients who presented with neuropathic painful complications due to RALP-associated nerve lesions. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 62-year-old patient (case 1), a 72-year-old male (case 2), and a 57-year-old patient (case 3) presented at the clinic with symptoms of neuropathic pain after RALP surgery. DIAGNOSIS: Patients were diagnosed with a potential injury of different branches of the pudendal nerve (cases 1 and 2), and left obturator nerve (case 3). INTERVENTIONS: Patients underwent multimodal pharmacologic treatment through pregabalin, weak opioids, strong opioid, paracetamol, and adjuvants. In cases 2 and 3, a multidisciplinary approach was needed. As the patients responded to conservative treatment, invasive approaches were not necessary. OUTCOMES: After treatment, the patients of case 1 showed pain relief after 4 days, paresthesia resolved in 15 days, whereas the anal crushing sensation lasted for approximately 1 month. In case 2, after 4 weeks of treatment, the patient experienced a considerable decrement in pain intensity with complete response after 4 months. In case 3, pain relief was achieved after 2 days, motor symptoms recovery after 2 weeks, and neuropathic features resolved completely after 5 weeks although the obturator sign resolved within 2 months. LESSONS: The RALP-associated neurologic injuries may occur even when performed by highly experienced surgeons. A better understanding of the potential iatrogenic nerve lesions can surely allow an improvement in the surgical technique. A multidisciplinary approach and early multimodal pain strategy are mandatory for managing these complications.

Obturator nerve injury and repair during laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. Case report and review of the literature / Lesión y reparación laparoscópica de nervio obturador en linfadenectomía laparoscópica. Reporte de un caso y revisión de la literatura

Objective: To report a case of obturator nerve injury during laparoscopic lymphadenectomy and repair through the same approach during the same surgical procedure; and to present a review of the literature on this type of injury, techniques used, timing of the repair, and rehabilitation outcomes. Materials and Methods: Case presentation of a 29-year-old woman seen at the National Cancer Institute (Instituto Nacional de Cancerología) in Bogotá, Colombia. The patient had a clinical diagnosis of stage Ib1 squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and was taken to radical trachelectomy plus bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy because of her wish to preserve fertility. During the procedure, a complete dissection of the obturator nerve was recognized and repaired immediately through the laparoscopic approach. A literature search was conducted in the Medline database via PubMed. The terms used for the search were "Obturator Nerve," "Lymph Node Excision," "Trauma," "Nervous System". The search was limited to publications in Spanish and English and included case series and reports, cohorts and review articles published between 1968 and September 2018. Results: Eight studies were included, all of them case reports. In six cases, complete sectioning of the nerve was recognized during surgery. In four cases, end-to-end anastomosis was used for repair; three cases were reconstructed using sural nerve grafting; and one case was managed with neurolysis and end-to-end anastomosis. All cases were approached laparoscopically. Over a nine-month follow-up period, three patients recovered full nerve function. Conclusion: The studies retrieved were all case reports, the most frequent injury being complete nerve sectioning. Several nerve repair techniques were used. Recovery after one year was not complete in a significant number of the cases reported.

TITULO: LESIÓN Y REPARACIÓN LAPAROSCÓPICA DE NERVIO OBTURADOR EN LINFADENECTOMÍA LAPAROSCÓPICA. REPORTE DE CASO Y REVISIÓN DE LA LITERATURA. Objetivo: presentar el caso de una lesión del nervio obturador durante linfadenectomía laparoscópica y su reparación por la misma vía en el mismo tiempo quirúrgico, y realizar una revisión de la literatura de la presentación de este tipo de lesiones, así como de la técnica utilizada, el momento de su reparación y los resultados de la rehabilitación. Materiales y métodos: se presenta el caso de una mujer de 29 años atendida en el Instituto Nacional de Cancerología en Bogotá, Colombia, con diagnóstico clínico de carcinoma escamocelular de cérvix estadio Ib1, a quien se le practicó traquelectomía radical más linfadenectomía pélvica bilateral por el deseo de preservar la fertilidad. Durante el procedimiento se advirtió una sección completa del nervio obturador, la cual se reparó inmediatamente por vía laparoscópica. Se realizó una búsqueda de la literatura en la base de datos Medline vía PubMed. Los términos utilizados para la búsqueda fueron: "Obturator Nerve", "Lymph Node Excision", "Trauma", "Nervous System". Se buscaron series y reportes de caso, cohortes y artículos de revisión desde 1968 hasta septiembre 2018. La búsqueda se limitó a idiomas español e inglés. Resultados: se incluyeron ocho estudios, todos reportes de caso. Un total de seis de los casos presentaron sección completa del nervio advertida intraquirúrgicamente. En cuatro casos se realizó la reparación por medio de anastomosis términoterminal, tres casos con reconstrucción utilizando injerto de nervio sural y un caso con neurolisis y anastomosis término-terminal, todos por vía laparoscópica. En el seguimiento a nueve meses, tres pacientes recuperaron totalmente la función. Conclusión: los estudios encontrados fueron reportes de caso, la lesión más frecuente es la sección completa del nervio; se encuentran varia técnicas de reparación del nervio. La recuperación al año no es total en un importante número de casos reportados.

Ganglion cyst arising from the transverse acetabular ligament (TAL): a rare cause of entrapment of the anterior branch of the obturator nerve. Case report and review of the literature.

The transverse acetabular ligament is an unusual location for ganglion cysts. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. They can be asymptomatic and represent an incidental finding or can cause an atypical pattern of hip joint/groin pain. We report a case of ganglion cyst arising from the TAL causing entrapment of the anterior branch of the obturator nerve with associated acute denervation of the abductor longus (AL), adductor brevis (AB), and gracilis muscles.

Arthroscopic Reconstruction of the Ligamentum Teres: A Guide to Safe Tunnel Placement.

PURPOSE: To provide a quantitative guide to tunnel placement concurrently through the femur and acetabulum during a ligamentum teres reconstruction, minimizing the risk of injury to the obturator neurovascular bundle. METHODS: Nine human cadaveric pelvises, complete with femurs (mean age, 59.6 years; age range, 47-65 years), were studied. Before dissection, a 3-dimensional coordinate-measuring device was used to record the neutral orientation of the femur in the acetabulum. The specimens were then dissected free of all extra-articular soft tissue, except for the ligamentum teres and the obturator neurovascular bundle, and digitized. An anatomic femoral reconstruction tunnel through the femoral neck was simulated and extended along its axis into the acetabulum. The femur was digitally rotated internally from 0° to 30° and externally from 0° to 40°, as well as abducted from 0° to 30° and adducted from 0° to 20°, in increments of 1°. At each position, the location of the simulated acetabular reconstruction tunnel was measured with respect to the obturator bundle and the edge of the acetabular fossa. RESULTS: The anatomic reconstruction tunnel entered the lateral side of the femur at a mean distance of 7.0 mm distal and 5.8 mm anterior to the center of the vastus ridge. By angling the femur at 15° of internal rotation and 15° of abduction, the obturator neurovascular bundle was avoided in 100% of specimens. CONCLUSIONS: The most important finding of this study was that a ligamentum teres reconstruction tunnel could be reamed through the femoral neck and safely positioned in the acetabulum by angling the femur at 15° of internal rotation and 15° of abduction. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These quantitative descriptions of the ligamentum teres reconstruction tunnels can be used to guide arthroscopic surgical interventions designed to address ligamentum teres pathology.

Injury of the obturator nerve in the modified Stoppa approach for acetabular fractures.

INTRODUCTION: The modified Stoppa approach for acetabular fractures has become popular. However, the possibility of injury to the obturator nerve with this approach has not been sufficiently considered. We have experienced a case of nerve entrapment in severely displaced fractures. Therefore, we performed a retrospective study to: (1) evaluate the incidence of obturator nerve injury in the modified Stoppa approach for acetabular fractures; (2) analyze the relationship between the extent of displacement of the quadrilateral plate and injury to the obturator nerve. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that obturator nerve injury would be related to a marked medial displacement of the quadrilateral plate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 22 patients with acetabular fractures that were surgically treated with the modified Stoppa approach. The medial displacement of the quadrilateral plate was measured on a three-dimensional reconstruction image with the inlet view. Postoperative electrodiagnostic tests were performed based on clinical suspicion of neurological injury. Nerve injuries were divided into initial trauma or postoperative complication, and recovery of nerve function was evaluated. We identified the incidence of obturator nerve injury and analyzed the relationship between obturator nerve injury and medial displacement of the quadrilateral plate. RESULTS: The incidence of obturator nerve injury was 2/22 (9.1%), and all injuries resulted from the initial trauma. The average displacement of the quadrilateral plate was 15.9±13.4mm. Patients were divided into two groups, using a displacement of 24mm as a cutoff point, identified using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. There were 16 patients in group 1 (<24mm) and 6 patients in group 2 (≥24mm). The incidence of obturator nerve injury from trauma was 0/16 (0%) in group 1 and 2/6 (33.3%) in group 2 (P=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: No cases of postoperative obturator nerve injury were identified. Preoperative obturator nerve injury was more common in patients with a displacement of the quadrilateral plate≥24mm. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective study.

Incidental injury and repair of obturator nerve during laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate a surgical video wherein left obturator nerve was iatrogenically injured during pelvic lymphadenectomy and repaired immediately with laparoscopic epineural end-to-end tension free anastomosis. METHODS: This is a step-by-step demonstration of an incidental injury and laparoscopic repair of left obturator nerve during pelvic lymphadenectomy. The patient was a 59year-old Hispanic female who was found to have endometrial adenocarcinoma. She was referred to our division for laparoscopic staging during which left obturator nerve was iatrogenically injured. After completion of left pelvic lymphadenectomy, proximal and distal cut ends of the obturator nerve were identified. Careful inspection revealed that the nerve was transected cleanly without any fraying of the edges. Tension-free reattachment of the edges seemed possible without further mobilization of the nerve since the resected part was approximately 5mm. The obturator nerve edges were oriented and stay sutures were placed in order to perform tension-free anastomosis. Epineural end-to-end coaptation was completed with 5-0 polypropylene sutures [1,2]. RESULTS: Postoperatively, the patient did not exhibit any clinically apparent loss of adductor function or any other neurologic deficiency and was discharged home on postoperative day one. Over 6months of follow-up, the patient experienced no residual neuropathy or deficit in the left thigh. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic repair of a transected obturator nerve during gynecologic surgery is feasible. In this case, immediate repair of the damaged nerve by an experienced laparoscopic gynecologic surgeon did not result in any neurologic deficit postoperatively.

Is It Possible to Draw a Risk Map for Obturator Nerve Injury During Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection? The Heilbronn Experience and a Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE: Obturator nerve injury (ONI) is a rare complication during pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND), in extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (e-LRP), and/or extraperitoneal robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (e-RALP). It is important to recognize ONI during the initial operation, maximizing the feasibility of simultaneous repair. Here we report our experience with ONI during e-LRP/e-RALP procedures and draw an injury risk map. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between December 1999 and November 2014, 2531 e-LRPs and 1027 e-RALPs were performed. Five patients (3 during e-LRP, 2 during e-RALP) experienced ONI in the proximal part of the nerve. Obturator nerves were clipped during the 3 e-LRP cases. Clips were immediately removed, and patients received physiotherapy with medical treatments in the postoperative period. During e-RALP, two obturator nerves were transected and subsequently repaired using the robotic Da Vinci(®) Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA). ONI types were investigated in detail in these patients, and current published studies were analyzed in order to draw a risk map. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 18.8 ± 2.7 months. In total, 3558 cases (2531 e-LRPs, 1027 e-RALPs) were performed. ONI occurred in 3 e-LRP (0.1%) and 2 e-RALP (0.1%) patients. Simultaneous repair was performed successfully in all cases, as clips were removed in e-LRP cases and obturator nerves were repaired using 6/0 polypropylene (Prolene(®); Ethicon, Somerville, NJ) suture in e-RALP cases. There was no complication associated with obturator nerve functions such as adductor function and/or neurologic deficiency during long-term follow-up. In view of published studies in the literature, the proximal part of the obturator nerve is at highest risk for injury during PLND, representing 77.8% of reported cases of ONI. CONCLUSIONS: According to our ONI risk map, the proximal part of the obturator nerve is at higher risk for injury during PLND. Careful dissection and a good knowledge of pelvic anatomy are essential for preventing ONI. Successful ONI management can be performed simultaneously in experienced hands.

EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT RESECTIONS ON NON-MUSCLE-INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER AND ANALYSIS OF THE OPTIMAL SURGICAL METHOD.

This study aimed to analyze the clinical efficacy of different resections in treating non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), including partial cystectomy, transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and holmium laser resection of bladder tumor. Two hundred and sixteen patients were recruited with NMIBC who were available for follow-up visits in hospital, including 62 cases treated with partial cystectomy, 90 cases treated with TURBT and 64 cases with holmium laser resection. Analysis was made on the cases with tumor relapse in the two years, on operation time, blood loss, time for indwelling urinary catheter, hospital stay and complications after operation. Results were compared to the clinical efficacy of these operation patterns. It was found that the two-year relapse rate for TURBT group, partial cystectomy group and Holmium laser resection group was 41%, 31%, and 33% respectively, and the difference had no statistical significance (p>0.05). Both the TURBT group and holmium laser resection group had shorter operation time, hospital stay and time for indwelling urinary catheter as well as much less blood loss when compared with the partial cystectomy group; the difference had statistical significance (p<0.001). In terms of complications, the TURBT group was likely to induce obturator nerve reflex and bladder perforation while the partial cystectomy group was likely to induce bladder spasm. Therefore, this study presumes that holmium laser resection and TURBT are much safer and quicker for recovery and obviously superior to the partial cystectomy.

Immediate repair of an incompletely transected obturator nerve during robotic-assisted pelvic lymphadenectomy.

Intraoperative injury of the obturator nerve may occur in gynecologic oncologic procedures when extensive pelvic side wall dissection is performed. In this case, we report an immediate repair of an incompletely transected obturator nerve during robotic-assisted pelvic lymphadenectomy. A 62-year-old gravida 3, para 3 woman was admitted to our clinic for postmenopausal bleeding. The result of an endometrial biopsy was complex endometrial hyperplasia with atypia, and a robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy was performed. A frozen section of the specimen revealed grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma with >1/2 myometrial invasion. During the pelvic lymphadenectomy, the left obturator nerve was incompletely transected. The obturator nerve edges were oriented and reapproximated end-to-end with two 6/0 polypropylene sutures. The operation and console times were 244 and 223 minutes, respectively. The final pathologic finding was a stage IB endometrial adenocarcinoma. The number of the obtained lymph nodes was 38. Postoperatively, the patient did not exhibit any clinically apparent loss of adductor function or any other neurologic deficiency. Over 6 months of follow-up, the patient experienced no residual neuropathy or deficit in the left thigh. Robotic-assisted repair of a transected obturator nerve during surgery is feasible, and immediate repair of the damaged nerve may result in no neurologic deficit postoperatively.

Transection of the obturator nerve by an electrosurgical instrument and its immediate repair during laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy: a case report.

Obturator nerve injury seldom occurs in gynecologic surgery. However, gynecologic oncologic surgery, including pelvic lymph node dissection, increases the risk of this type of injury. Microsurgical techniques are usually performed for the repair of the nerve injury. Herein the authors report a case of obturator nerve injury caused by an electrosurgical instrument during laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy, and its prompt repair by laparoscopic procedure in a 44-year-old patient with cervical cancer.

[Pelvic lymph node dissection. Complication management]. / Pelvine Lymphadenektomie. Komplikationsmanagement.

Extended pelvic lymph node dissection allows exact lymph node staging and has the potential to improve prognosis. In addition to these advantages, there are some perioperative and postoperative complications. In case of transection of the obturator nerve, a microsurgical end-to-end anastomosis should be performed. The most frequent postoperative complication is (symptomatic) lymphocele which is predominantly diagnosed after extraperitoneal surgery. Meticulous lymph node dissection with clipping of lymphatic vessels, sparing the lateral wall of the external iliac artery from dissection, sufficient postoperative drainage, and application of low molecular weight heparin in the upper arm may reduce their incidence. Instillation of sclerosing agents and sufficient drainage are normally successful. If not, laparoscopic fenestration of lymphocele should be performed. Regular ultrasound examinations are necessary to diagnose and treat postoperative lymphocele in a timely manner.

Obturator neuropathy: an adverse outcome of a trans-obturator vaginal mesh to repair pelvic organ prolapse.

We report a case of obturator neuropathy induced by trans-obturator vaginal mesh surgery for symptomatic cystocele. Initial electromyography excluded genito-femoral and pudendal nerve deficiency. Typical clinical arguments for severe obturator neuropathy at physical examination led to vaginal revision surgery with hemi-resection of the mesh to the ischio-pubic branch. This fully relieved obturator-induced pain and reversed adductor muscle motor deficiency.