Inguinal endometriosis: a case series and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Inguinal endometriosis is one of the most common forms of endometriosis. The present study introduces 8 cases of inguinal endometriosis and discusses probable theories of inguinal endometriosis by reviewing the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: 8 Iranian cases of inguinal endometriosis with a mean age of 36 years were presented. Catamenial groin pain and swelling were the most common complications. Also, patients usually had accompanying symptoms such as pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea. One-half of patients had a history of previous abdominal surgery. Ultrasound was diagnostic in 4 patients (50%), and magnetic resonance imaging was used in two patients (25%). Among 6 patients who underwent hormonal therapy, 4 experienced an endometriosis size increase. Inguinal endometriosis was right-sided in 87.5% of patients, and among 4 patients who underwent surgery, 75% had proximal site involvement of the round ligament. CONCLUSION: According to the rarity of inguinal endometriosis, it is more likely to be a misdiagnosis with other inguinal disorders such as inguinal hernia. Inguinal endometriosis should be considered in patients who undergo inguinal herniorrhaphy, with suspected findings such as thickening of the hernia sac wall, bloody fluid inside the sac, or thickening of the extraperitoneal round ligament during the surgery.

Leg Lymphoedema After Inguinal and Ilio-Inguinal Lymphadenectomy for Melanoma: Results from a Prospective, Randomised Trial.

BACKGROUND: The Evaluation of Groin Lymphadenectomy Extent for Melanoma (EAGLE FM) study sought to address the question of whether to perform inguinal (IL) or ilio-inguinal lymphadenectomy (I-IL) for patients with inguinal nodal metastatic melanoma who have no clinical or imaging evidence of pelvic disease. Primary outcome measure was disease-free survival at 5 years, and secondary endpoints included lymphoedema. METHODS: EAGLE FM was designed to recruit 634 patients but closed with 88 patients randomised because of slow recruitment and changes in melanoma management. Lymphoedema assessments occurred preoperatively and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postoperatively. Lymphoedema was defined as Inter-Limb Volume Difference (ILVD) > 10%, Lymphoedema Index (L-Dex®) > 10 or change of L-Dex® > 10 from baseline. RESULTS: Prevalence of leg lymphoedema between the two groups was similar but numerically higher for I-IL at all time points in the first 24 months of follow-up; highest at 6 months (45.9% IL [CI 29.9-62.0%], 54.1% I-IL [CI 38.0-70.1%]) and lowest at 18 months (18.8% IL [CI 5.2-32.3%], 41.4% I-IL [CI 23.5-59.3%]). Median ILVD at 24 months for those affected by lymphoedema was 14.5% (IQR 10.6-18.7%) and L-Dex® was 12.6 (IQR 9.0-17.2). There was not enough statistical evidence to support associations between lymphoedema and extent of surgery, radiotherapy, or wound infection. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a trend for patients who had I-IL to have greater lymphoedema prevalence than IL in the first 24 months after surgery, our study's small sample did not have the statistical evidence to support an overall difference between the surgical groups.

Robotic or open superficial inguinal lymph node dissection as staging procedures for clinically node negative high risk penile cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate perioperative and oncologic outcomes of a cohort of clinically node negative high-risk penile cancer patients undergoing robotic assisted inguinal lymph node dissection (RAIL) compared to patients undergoing open superficial inguinal lymph node dissection (OSILND). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of clinically node negative high-risk penile cancer patients undergoing RAIL at MDACC from 2013-2019. We sought to compare this to a contemporary open cohort of clinically node negative patients treated from 1999 to 2019 at MDACC and Moffit Cancer Center (MCC) with an OSILND. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study cohorts. Comparison analysis between operative variables was performed using Fisher's exact test and Wilcoxon's rank-sum test. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival endpoints. RESULTS: There were 24 patients in the RAIL cohort, and 35 in the OSILND cohort. Among the surgical variables, operative time (348.5 minutes vs. 239.0 minutes, P < 0.01) and the duration of operative drain (37 vs. 22 days P = 0.017) were both significantly longer in the RAIL cohort. Complication incidences were similar for both cohorts (34.3% for OSILND vs. 33.3% for RAIL), with wound complications making up 33% of all complications for RAIL and 31% of complications for OSILND. No inguinal recurrences were noted in either cohort. The median follow-up was 40 months for RAIL and 33 months for OSILND. CONCLUSIONS: We observed similar complication rates and surgical variable outcomes in our analysis apart from operative time and operative drain duration. Oncological outcomes were similar between the two cohorts. RAIL was a reliable staging and potentially therapeutic procedure among clinically node negative patients with penile squamous cell carcinoma with comparable outcomes to an OSILND cohort.

Comparison of Early Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection and Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Penile Cancer Patient with Bulky Nodal Metastasis: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Penile cancer is a rare malignancy, where extranodal extension in inguinal or pelvic lymph nodes is associated with decreased 5-year cancer-survival rate in this study, we try to assess survival and quality of life in a penile cancer patient with bulky lymph node. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from penile cancer patients with bulky lymph nodes who underwent treatment between July 2016 and July 2021 at tertiary referral hospital care. The inclusion criteria (age >18 yr, histologically proven penile cancer, and completion of last treatment 6 months prior to this study) yielded a cohort of 20 eligible penile cancer patients with bulky lymph nodes (> 4 cm/bilateral mobile/unilateral fixed). Only patients who had completed therapy at least 6 months prior to the study were included. After obtaining consent, they were asked to complete the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire to evaluate the patient's quality of life. RESULTS: Out of 20 patients, 5 patients underwent direct ILND and 15 patients underwent chemotherapy. Median follow-up after primary diagnosis was 114+32 months in patients with early ILND and 52+11 months in patients who underwent delayed lymph node dissection. Out of 5 patients who underwent early ILND, all of them survived during follow-up, and achieved cancer-free status without residual tumor and with excellent functional outcomes (Karnofsky 90). There was no significant difference in social function (p-value = 0.551), physical function (p-value = 0.272), role function (p-value = 0.546), emotional function (p-value = 0.551), cognitive function (p-value = 0.453), and global health status (p-value = 0.893) between patient which treated with early ILND and Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy. However, patients who underwent early ILND showed a relatively better clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Early ILND followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for penile cancer with palpable lymph nodes is more favourable than neoadjuvant TIP chemotherapy.

Surgical templates for inguinal lymph node dissection in cN0 penile cancer: A comparative study.

PURPOSE: Modified and superficial inguinal lymph node dissection (MILD and SILD) are the 2 widely used templates for surgical staging of clinically node negative (cN0) penile cancer (PeCa); however, no previous reports have compared their outcomes. We compared these 2 surgical templates for oncological outcomes and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records of cN0 PeCa patients who underwent MILD/SILD at our cancer care center from January 2013 to December 2019. Patients who developed a penile recurrence during follow up were excluded from analysis of oncological outcomes. The 2 groups (MILD and SILD) were compared for baseline clinico-pathological characteristics. The primary outcome was the groin recurrence free survival (gRFS). Secondary outcomes included the false negative rate (FNR) and disease free survival (DFS) for both templates and also the post-operative wound related complication. RESULTS: Of the 146 patients with intermediate and high risk N0 PeCa, 74 (50.7%) and 72 (49.3%) underwent MILD and SILD respectively. The 2 groups were comparable with regards to the distribution of T stage, tumor grade and the proportion of intermediate and high-risk patients. At a median follow up of 34 months (47 for SILD and 23 for MILD), a total of 5 groin recurrences were encountered; all of them occurred in the MILD group. The gRFS and DFS for the MILD group was 93.2% and 91.8% respectively; while that for the SILD group was 100% and 94.4% respectively. Too few events had occurred to determine any statistically significant difference. The FNR for MILD and SILD was 26.3% and 0% respectively. The overall complication rate was significantly higher in the SILD group (46% vs 20.3%, p=0.001), especially for Clavien Dindo 3A complications. CONCLUSION: MILD can fail to pick up micro-metastatic disease in a small proportion of cN0 PeCa patients, while SILD provides better oncological clearance with no groin recurrences. This oncological superiority comes at the cost of a higher incidence of wound-related complications.

Long-term oncological and surgical outcomes after Video Endoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy (VEIL) in patients with penile cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To report outcomes from the largest multicenter series of penile cancer patients undergoing video endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy (VEIL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective multicenter analysis. Authors of 21 centers from the Penile Cancer Collaborative Coalition-Latin America (PeC-LA) were included. All centers performed the procedure following the same previously described standardized technique. Inclusion criteria included penile cancer patients with no palpable lymph nodes and intermediate/high-risk disease and those with non-fixed palpable lymph nodes less than 4 cm in diameter. Categorical variables are shown as percentages and frequencies whereas continuous variables as mean and range. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2020, 210 VEIL procedures were performed in 105 patients. Mean age was 58 (45-68) years old. Mean operative time was 90 minutes (60-120). Mean lymph node yield was 10 nodes (6-16). Complication rate was 15.7%, including severe complications in 1.9% of procedures. Lymphatic and skin complications were noted in 8.6 and 4.8% of patients, respectively. Histopathological analysis revealed lymph node involvement in 26.7% of patients with non-palpable nodes. Inguinal recurrence was observed in 2.8% of patients. 10y- overall survival was 74.2% and 10-y cancer specific survival was 84.8%. CSS for pN0, pN1, pN2 and pN3 were 100%, 82.4%, 72.7% and 9.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: VEIL seems to offer appropriate long term oncological control with minimal morbidity. In the absence of non-invasive stratification measures such as dynamic sentinel node biopsy, VEIL emerged as the alternative for the management of non-bulky lymph nodes in penile cancer.

Inguinal lymph node metastases from rectal adenocarcinoma: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Inguinal lymph nodes are a rare but recognised site of metastasis in rectal adenocarcinoma. No guideline or consensus exists for the management of such cases. This review aims to provide a contemporary and comprehensive analysis of the published literature to aid clinical decision-making. METHODS: Systematic searches were performed using the PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE and Scopus and Cochrane CENTRAL Library databases from inception till December 2022. All studies reporting on the presentation, prognosis or management of patients with inguinal lymph node metastases (ILNM) were included. Pooled proportion meta-analyses were completed when possible and descriptive synthesis was utilised for the remaining outcomes. The Joanna Briggs Institute tool for case series was used to assess the risk of bias. RESULTS: Nineteen studies were eligible for inclusion, encompassing 18 case series and one population-based study using national registry data. A total of 487 patients were included in the primary studies. The prevalence of ILNM in rectal cancer is 0.36%. ILNM are associated with very low rectal tumours with a mean distance from the anal verge of 1.1 cm (95% CI 0.92-1.27). Invasion of the dentate line was found in 76% of cases (95% CI 59-93). In patients with isolated inguinal lymph node metastases, modern chemoradiotherapy regimens in combination with surgical excision of inguinal nodes are associated with 5-year overall survival rates of 53-78%. CONCLUSION: In specific subsets of patients with ILNM, curative-intent treatment regimens are feasible, with oncological outcomes akin to those demonstrated in locally advanced rectal cancers.

Primary spontaneous inguinal endometriosis: Two cases with emphasis on the diagnostic approach.

OBJECTIVE: While endometriosis is common, inguinal endometriosis with hernia is rarely observed, making its preoperative diagnosis challenging. CASE REPORT: We report two cases of inguinal endometriosis with different presentations and focus on tailored surgical treatment. The two patients in our series presented with painful swelling in the right groin area. Surgery and pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of endometriosis in both cases. Herniorrhaphy and excision of the extraperitoneal round ligament were performed in one patient with concomitant inguinal endometriosis and indirect inguinal hernia. CONCLUSION: We highlight the importance of the preoperative evaluation of concomitant pelvic endometriosis, round ligament involvement, and endometriosis within the inguinal hernia sac. Inguinal endometriosis with or without hernia should be considered even in reproductive-aged women without a previous medical and surgical history. Postoperative hormonal therapy, including dienogest, can be considered to prevent disease recurrence.

Reply to May et al. The Goal of Achieving High-Quality Surgical First-Line Therapy in Patients with Penile Cancer Is Important; However, Some Collective Efforts Are Still Required in Order to Reach It. Comment on "Brassetti et al. Combined Reporting of Surgical Quality and Cancer Control after Surgical Treatment for Penile Tumors with Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection: The Tetrafecta Achievement. Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30, 1882-1892".

We have carefully read the comment by May et al. [...].

Long-term oncological results in penile cancer treated by inguinal lymphadenectomy.

PURPOSE: In 95% of cases, penile cancer is a squamous cell carcinoma whose specificity is lymphatic spread with the inguinal lymph nodes as the first relay route. Inguinal lymph node dissection is a primordial part of the treatment. The objective was to assess the oncological results of inguinal lymph node dissection in penile cancer at our centre. METHODS: We retrospectively included all patients having undergone inguinal lymph node dissection at our centre between 1 January 2004 and 1 January 2020 for the treatment of penile cancer. Patients for whom lymphadenopathy was palliative were excluded. Depending on indications, the procedures consisted in either dynamic sentinel node biopsy, modified lymphadenectomy or radical lymphadenectomy. All cancers were reclassified using the 2016 TNM classification system. Survival was analysed according to the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: 242 inguinal lymph node dissections were performed in 122 patients. There were 71 pN0 (58%), 9 pN1 (7%), 4 pN2 (3%) and 38 pN3 (31%). Mean follow-up was 51 ± 45 months. The 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was 76% in pN0 patients and 17% in pN3 patients. The 5-year specific and overall survival rates were, respectively, 82% and 73% for pN0 stages, and 14% and 17% for pN3 stages. Extracapsular extension on an inguinal lymphadenopathy appeared as a highly negative prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: Inguinal lymph node dissection is essential in the treatment of penile cancer. Recurrence-free, specific and overall survival are closely linked to the lymph node stage. Extracapsular extension and pelvic lymph node invasion are highly negative prognostic factors.

Outcomes following radical inguinal lymphadenectomy for penile cancer using a fascial-sparing surgical technique.

PURPOSE: To describe our surgical technique and report the oncological outcomes and complication rates using a fascial-sparing radical inguinal lymphadenectomy (RILND) technique for penile cancer patients with cN+ disease in the inguinal lymph nodes. METHODS: Over a 10-year period, 660 fascial-sparing RILND procedures were performed in 421 patients across two specialist penile cancer centres. The technique used a subinguinal incision with an ellipse of skin excised over any palpable nodes. Identification and preservation of the Scarpa's and Camper's fascia was the first step. All superficial inguinal nodes were removed en bloc under this fascial layer with preservation of the subcutaneous veins and fascia lata. The saphenous vein was spared where possible. Patient characteristics, oncologic outcomes and perioperative morbidity were retrospectively collected and analysed. Kaplan-Meier curves estimated the cancer-specific survival (CSS) functions after the procedure. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range, IQR) follow-up was 28 (14-90) months. A median (IQR) number of 8.0 (6.5-10.5) nodes were removed per groin. A total of 153 postoperative complications (36.1%) occurred, including 50 conservatively managed wound infections (11.9%), 21 cases of deep wound dehiscence (5.0%), 104 cases of lymphoedema (24.7%), 3 cases of deep vein thrombosis (0.7%), 1 case of pulmonary embolism (0.2%), and 1 case of postoperative sepsis (0.2%). The 3-year CSS was 86% (95%Confidence Interval [95% CI] 77-96), 83% (95% CI 72-92), 58% (95% CI 51-66), respectively, for the pN1, pN2 and pN3 patients (p < 0.001), compared to a 3-year CSS of 87% (95% CI 84-95) for the pN0 patients. CONCLUSION: Fascial-sparing RILND offers excellent oncological outcomes whilst decreasing the morbidity rates. Patients with more advanced nodal involvement had poorer survival rates, emphasizing the need for adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy.

Wound Complication Rates after Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection: Contemporary Analysis of the NSQIP Database.

BACKGROUND: Inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND) is used for diagnosis and treatment in penile cancer (PC), vulvar cancer (VC), and melanomas draining to the inguinal lymph nodes. However, ILND is often characterized by its morbidity and high wound complication rate. Consequently, we aimed to characterize wound complication rates after ILND. STUDY DESIGN: The NSQIP database was queried for ILND performed from 2005 to 2018 for melanoma, PC, or VC. Thirty-day wound complications included wound disruption and superficial, deep, and organ-space surgical site infection. Multivariable logistic regression was performed with covariates, including cancer type, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥3, BMI ≥30, smoking history, diabetes, operative time, and concomitant pelvic lymph node dissection. RESULTS: A total of 1,099 patients had an ILND with 92, 115, and 892 ILNDs performed for PC, VC, and melanoma, respectively. Wound complications occurred in 161 (14.6%) patients, including 12 (13.0%), 17(14.8%), and 132 (14.8%) patients with PC, VC, and melanoma, respectively. Median length of stay was 1 day (interquartile range 0 to 3 days), and median operative time was 152 minutes (interquartile 83 to 192 minutes). Readmission rate was 12.7%. Wound complications were associated with longer operative time per 10 minutes (odds ratio 1.038, 95% CI 1.019 to 1.056, p < 0.001), BMI ≥30 (odds ratio 1.976, 95% CI 1.386 to 2.818, p < 0.001), and concomitant pelvic lymph node dissection (odds ratio 1.561, 95% CI 1.056 to 2.306, p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Predictors of wound complications after ILND include BMI ≥30, longer operative time, and concomitant pelvic lymph node dissection. There have been efforts to decrease ILND complication rates, including minimally invasive techniques and modified templates, which are not captured by NSQIP, and such approaches may be considered especially for those with increased complication risks.

Starting a minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy program: Initial learning experience and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: There is promising data on minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy indicating decreased wound complications compared with the standard open approach. We examined our institutional experience with starting a minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy program. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series of consecutive patients undergoing videoscopic minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy from August 2017 to March 2022 by a single surgeon. Patients meeting criteria for inguinal lymphadenectomy were considered for minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy unless there was skin involvement by tumor or bulky disease. Data collected included patient characteristics, primary cancer, surgery, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: There were 26 patients included. The mean age was 60.6 ± 16.2 years. Most patients were female (n = 17, 65.4%), and the primary diagnosis was melanoma (n = 21, 19.2%). In 6 cases (23.1%), minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy was combined with deep pelvic node dissection, but most patients did not have a concurrent procedure (n = 15, 57.7%). The median operative time was 119.0 minutes (range, 89.0-160.0), or 130.5 minutes (range, 89.0-345.0) when including concurrent procedures. The mean number of nodes retrieved was 9.8 ± 3.7, with a positive node identified in 19 patients (73.1%) during minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy. There were 12 (46.2%) patients experiencing at least one postoperative complication within 30 days of surgery, the most common being infection (n = 4, 15.4%). One patient required reoperation for infected hematoma washout. Postoperative intervention for seroma was undertaken in 3 patients (11.5%). CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive inguinal lymphadenectomy is a safe approach to inguinal lymph node dissection, in terms of node retrieval and postoperative complications, and can feasibly be adopted into practice with minimal learning curve.

Inguinal lymph node dissection in the era of minimally invasive surgical technology.

BACKGROUND: Inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND) is an essential step in both treatment and staging of several malignancies including penile and vulvar cancers. Various open, video endoscopic, and robotic-assisted techniques have been utilized so far. In this review, we aim to describe available minimally invasive surgical approaches for ILND, and review their outcomes and complications. METHODS: The PubMed, Wiley Online Library, and Science Direct databases were reviewed in February 2020 to find relevant studies published in English within 2000-2020. FINDINGS: There are different minimally invasive platforms available to accomplish dissection of inguinal nodes without jeopardizing oncological results while minimizing postoperative complications. Video Endoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy and Robotic Video Endoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy are safe and achieve the same nodal yield, a surrogate metric for oncological adequacy. When compared to open technique, Video Endoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy and Robotic Video Endoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy may offer faster postoperative recovery and fewer postoperative complications including wound dehiscence, necrosis, and infection. The relatively high rate and severity of postoperative complications hinders utilization of recommended ILND for oncologic indications. Minimally invasive approaches, using laparoscopic or robotic-assisted platforms, show some promise in reducing the morbidity of this procedure while achieving adequate short and intermediate term oncological outcomes.