Incidence of postoperative venous thromboembolism in patients with vulvar carcinoma undergoing vulvectomy with or without lymphadenectomy.

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) following radical surgery for vulvar carcinoma remains poorly characterized, and recommendations for postoperative chemoprophylaxis are varied. Our objective was to assess the incidence of postoperative VTE in patients undergoing surgery for vulvar carcinoma and to determine if VTE incidence differs by radical vulvectomy with or without lymph node assessment. METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients with a diagnosis of vulvar cancer undergoing radical vulvectomy with or without lymph node assessment from 2012 to 2020. Clinical characteristics and 30-day incidence of VTE as well as other postoperative outcomes were abstracted. Variables were compared using Chi-square test and Fischer's exact test, as well as Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon rank sum tests where appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 1672 patients underwent radical vulvectomy for vulvar carcinoma. 11 patients (0.7%) experienced postoperative VTE within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of VTE was similar when radical vulvectomy was performed alone or with lymph node dissection by any method (p = 0.116). Longer operative times (p = 0.033) and greater postoperative length of stay (p = 0.001) were associated with increased risk of postoperative VTE. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of postoperative VTE is low in patients undergoing radical vulvar surgery in this national cohort. Inguinofemoral lymph node dissection by any method does not appear to be a risk factor for VTE when compared to radical vulvectomy alone. Further research is needed to determine if extended VTE prophylaxis is beneficial in this population.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with bevacizumab for locally advanced vulvar cancer.

OBJECTIVES: External beam radiation with sensitizing platinum is the recommended therapy for locally advanced vulvar cancers not amenable to curative surgery and is associated with considerable acute and chronic side effects. Radical vulvectomy post-radiation for persistent disease is often compromised with poor wound healing. We describe clinical outcomes for patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus bevacizumab followed by radical vulvectomy for locally advanced vulvar cancer. METHODS: We performed retrospective analyses of all patients at our institution who underwent radical vulvectomy from January 2015 to November 2023. Of 113 patients, 13 patients underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Demographics and clinicopathologic data were extracted, and descriptive statistical analyses were performed. Cases with neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus bevacizumab were further evaluated for response, adverse effects, and survival. RESULTS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 13 patients with stage II-IV disease that involved the urethra, vagina, or anus. Lesion sizes ranged from 4 to 20 cm (median 7 cm). Patients received 2-6 cycles of carboplatin or cisplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab. Nine (69.2%) patients had partial pathologic responses, and four patients had complete responses. All patients had negative surgical margins. Ten (76.9%) patients had radiographic evidence of inguinal lymph node metastasis prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and four had residual nodal disease. Only one patient developed a superficial groin seroma. Three patients developed recurrence, two locally and one distant, and there was one death. The median follow-up was 23 months (range 6-84 months). CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy using combination platinum/paclitaxel/bevacizumab was efficacious for locally advanced vulvar cancer, resulting in complete resections, negative margins, and excellent wound healing. A multi-institutional phase II trial is warranted to validate these findings.

The accuracy of intraoperative frozen section examination of sentinel lymph nodes in squamous cell cancer of the vulva.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative pathologic examination of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and patient outcomes in vulva cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with unifocal, <4 cm, invasive vulvar squamous cell carcinoma and clinically negative groin nodes treated with SLN biopsy from January 2008-March 2020. Intraoperative SLN frozen section and final pathology were compared. If the SLN was negative, inguinal femoral lymphadenectomy (IFLD) was omitted. Recurrence location and groin recurrence free survival (RFS) were assessed. RESULTS: The SLN cohort included 173 patients, with 258 groins. On frozen section, there were 36/258 positive and 222 negative groins. On final pathology, there were 39/258 positive: 31 macrometastases, 6 micrometastases, 2 isolated tumor cells (ITCs) and 219 negative groins. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for intraoperative detection of metastatic disease, was 89.7% and 99.5%, 97.2% and 98.2%, respectively. There was 1 false positive and 4 false negative frozen section results where final pathology revealed 2 ITCs, 1 micrometastasis and 1 macrometastasis. Based on intraoperative results, thirty patients (17.3%) underwent immediate IFLD. Median follow up was 38.0 (1-137.8) months. The 3-year groin RFS was 91.6% (95% CI 86.2-97.4%) for negative SLNs and 64.6% (95% CI 46.5-89.7%) for positive SLNs on frozen section. Similarly, the 3-year groin RFS was 91.7% (95% CI 86.3-97.4%) for negative, 58.4% (95% CI 38.5-87.7%) for macrometastases and 100% for micrometastases/ITCs on final pathology. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative assessment of SLNs is accurate to determine need for IFLD and does not compromise patient outcomes in vulvar cancer.

Reconstruction of the Meatus Urethrae After Oncologic Vulvectomy: Outcome of 42 Vaginal Flap Advancements in 41 Women.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Resection of the distal part of the urethra is performed in 15% to 55% of women with vulvar cancer to achieve radicality of vulvectomy. Urinary reconstruction in these women may be complicated by urethral stenosis resulting from circular inset of the meatus. We report on our experience with 2 surgical techniques of noncircular inset to prevent such stenosis. METHODS: From January 2005 to January 2020, 42 urethral meatus reconstructions were performed in 41 women after vulvectomy for (pre)malignant skin disorders by a "limited" (n = 17) or "extended" (n = 25) anterior vaginal wall advancement technique, including V-Y insertion of part of the vaginal flap in a posterior longitudinal urethrotomy. Preoperative characteristics, procedural details, and surgical outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: We observed 1 neomeatal stenosis and 1 case of partial vaginal wall flap necrosis as major complications following the "limited" technique and 1 circumferential neomeatal dehiscence and occlusion as major complication after the "extended" technique. Both the neomeatal stenosis and the dehiscence/occlusion are felt to have been preventable and not caused by a flaw of design of the advancement technique. CONCLUSIONS: We advocate applying these vaginal wall advancement techniques to prevent circular inset of the neomeatus. The "extended" technique offers a solution in cases where the periurethral vulvar defect cannot be closed by transpositioning of labial skin.

Prognostic factors for recurrence and survival in uncommon variants of vulvar cancer.

PURPOSE: To analyze the prognostic factors of recurrence and overall survival in rare histotypes of vulvar cancer. METHODS: An international multicenter retrospective study including patients diagnosed with vulvar cancer was performed. One hundred centers participated in the study and 2453 vulvar cancer cases were enrolled from January 2001 until December 2005. After exclusion of squamous vulvar cancer, Paget´s disease and vulvar melanoma 112 tumors were analyzed for the present study. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 64.9 ± 17.2 years. 99 (88.4%) patients had a single lesion, in 25 (22.3%) cases the vulvar tumor involved the midline, and only 13 (11.5%) patients had clinically positive inguinal lymph nodes. The mean size of the lesion was 33.8 ± 33.9 mm. Regarding the surgical treatment, 2 (1.8%) patients underwent skinning vulvectomy, 63 (56.3%) local excision, 41 (36.6%) vulvectomy, 3 (2.7%) exenteration and 3 (2.7%) did not receive any surgical treatment. The mean free surgical margin was 8.2 ± 9 mm and 7 (6.2%) patients presented positive inguinal nodes. Radiotherapy was administered in 22 (19.6%) patients and it was performed postoperatively in all cases; 14 (12.5%) patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The mean overall follow-up time was 44.1 ± 35.7 months. The risk factors associated with overall survival were chemotherapy and radiotherapy, tumor size and stromal invasion (p < 0.05). The only independent factor significantly associated with global recurrence and absence of metastasis was radiotherapy (p = 0.02 and p = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSION: Postoperative radiotherapy seems to be the only independent factor associated with recurrence and overall survival in uncommon types of vulvar cancer.

Reconstruction of a radical total vulvectomy defect with a single split anterolateral thigh perforator flap: A case report and review of the literature.

Reconstruction following total vulvectomy is a reconstructive challenge. Previously described techniques typically require bilateral flaps and the associated donor site morbidity. We present a case of reconstruction after radical total vulvectomy using a single split anterolateral thigh (ALT) perforator flap with a design that optimizes perfusion while allowing for primary donor site closure. A 68-year-old female with a history of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma who had previously undergone vulvectomy and radiation therapy presented with local recurrence. The patient required a radical total vulvectomy, resulting in a 12 × 10 cm vulvar defect. A 2-perforator ALT flap (25 × 7 cm) was harvested, split transversely, and then inset in a circumferential manner around the vulva. This approach contrasts with previous reports, which split the ALT flap longitudinally or centrally, and can compromise perfusion and/or preclude primary donor site closure. The patient healed without complication with 6 months of follow-up. The described approach allows for total vulvectomy reconstruction using a single ALT flap with a perforator configuration that maximizes perfusion while obviating the need for donor site grafting.

Use of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Systems after Radical Vulvectomy for Advanced Vulvar Cancer.

A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy in improving vulvectomy healing. Women who underwent radical vulvectomy with complete inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy for advanced vulvar cancer were divided into two groups according to immediate postoperative care: patients treated with negative pressure wound therapy using the device applied on the site of the wound (including vulva and inguinal region), and patients receiving conventional care. 18 patients were included in the study. 7 (38.9%) women were treated with negative pressure wound therapy immediately after the surgery and were included in the intervention group, and 11 (61.1%) patients were included in the control group. Women who received negative pressure wound therapy had significantly lower length of stay in the hospital (14.2 ± 4.7 versus 17.1 ± 6.1 days, mean difference -6.90 days, 95% confidence interval -11.91 to -1.89), and significantly lower length for wound healing (-31.90 days, 95% confidence interval -43.48 to -20.32). In conclusion, the utilization of the negative wound pressure therapy may contribute to reduce hospitalization after radical vulvectomy for vulvar cancer. Large and well-designed randomized trials with cost effectiveness analyses are needed to confirm these findings.

Tumor-free margins and local recurrence in squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation of pathologic tumor-free margins and local recurrence in patients who underwent primary surgery for vulvar squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, patients with stage I-III vulvar squamous cell carcinoma who underwent primary surgery between 2000 and 2018 were identified from the Mayo Clinic Cancer Registry. RESULTS: A total of 335 patients were included and divided into three groups according to tumor-free margins: group 1 (<3 mm, n = 32); group 2 (≥3 to <8 mm, n = 151); group 3 (≥8 mm, n = 152). The median follow-up time was 73 months (range 2-240). A total of 78 (23.3%) patients developed local recurrence. With the inverse propensity score weighing method adjusting baseline characters, margins <8 mm had inferior local control (HR 1.98, 95% CI 1.13-3.41). The 5-year local disease-free survival (DFS) was 48.2%, 81.5% and 84.6% for group 1, 2 and 3 respectively (p < 0.001). There were no differences in groin lymph nodes relapse (p = 0.850), distant metastases (p = 0.253), or disease-specific survival (DSS) (p = 0.289) among the three groups. Margins <8 mm, midline involvement, multifocal disease, precancerous lesions on margins and depth of invasion >1 mm were found to be poor prognosticators for local DFS in univariate analysis. Multifocal disease was the strongest predictor for local recurrence in multivariate analysis (HR 4.32, 95% CI 2.67-6.99). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing primary surgery for vulvar squamous cell carcinoma with tumor free-margins <8 mm have a higher local recurrence rate.

Primary treatment and relative survival by stage and age in vulvar squamous cell carcinoma: A population-based SweGCG study.

OBJECTIVE: Vulvar cancer affects mainly elderly women and with an ageing population the incidence has increased. We explored the primary treatment patterns and relative survival of patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) by stage and age-group. METHODS: A population-based nationwide study on women diagnosed with VSCC between 2012 and 2016 and registered in the Swedish Quality Registry for Gynecologic Cancer (SQRGC). Main outcome was 5-year relative survival (RS) estimated by the Pohar Perme method. The relative risk of excess mortality (EMRR) between different groups was analyzed by Poisson regression. The age-standardized relative survival (AS-RS) was estimated for the total cohort. RESULTS: Median follow-up time was 41 months. The study population included 657 women; 33% were ≥ 80 years old. FIGO stage I was most common (55%). Primary surgery was performed in 96% stage I, 65% stage II, 80% stage III and 28% stage IV. In women ≥80 years, exploration of the groins and chemoradiotherapy was less often performed. They also received lower mean doses of radiation than younger women. The 5-year AS-RS was 74%. 5-year RS was 84% for stage I, 60% for stage II, 54% for stage III and 35% for stage IV. The EMRR for women ≥80 years compared with women <60 years was 4.3 (p < 0.001); 4.9 (p < 0.001) for stages I-II and 3.5(p = 0.007) for stage III. CONCLUSIONS: In general, primary treatment of patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma in Sweden adhered to guidelines. Areas of improvement include treatment for stage II and for the very old.

Extramammary Paget disease of the vulva: Management and prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics, management and prognosis of patients with vulvar extramammary Paget disease of the vulva (EMPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The U.S National Cancer Database was accessed and patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 with microscopically confirmed vulvar EMPD were selected. Overall survival (OS) was calculated for patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2014, who had at least one month of follow-up. Five year OS rates were calculated following generation of Kaplan-Meier curves while comparisons were made with the log-rank test. RESULTS: A total of 2602 patients were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 72 years (range 31-90 years) and the majority were of White race (92%), without any co-morbidities (80.9%). Personal history of another tumor was present in 36.9% of patients. In situ EMPD was diagnosed in 994 cases (38.2%) and the majority (95.1%) were managed with local excision or vulvectomy. Five-year OS was 85.8%, while presence of positive margins was not associated with worse OS (p = 0.38). Invasive EMPD was diagnosed in 1608 (61.8%) patients. Staging information was available for 1172 patients, 75.3% had early stage disease. Most patients underwent surgical treatment (91.6%); 53.6% had positive margins. Performance of lymphadenectomy was infrequent (6.8%). Moreover, immunotherapy (4.5%), chemotherapy (1.5%) and radiation therapy (2.2%) were rarely employed in the management of invasive EMPD. Patients with early stage disease (n = 766) had better OS compared to those with advanced stage (n = 278) (5-yr OS rates were 84.3% and 73.6% respectively, p = 0.015) while presence of positive margins was not associated with worse OS (p = 0.35). CONCLUSIONS: Extramammary Paget disease is a rare vulvar tumor. Surgical excision is the main treatment option while other modalities are rarely employed. Overall survival rates are encouraging.

Dose-escalated intensity modulated radiation therapy in patients with locally-advanced vulvar cancer - does it increase response rate?

PURPOSE: GOG 205 safely increased clinical (cCR) and pathologic complete response (pCR) in locally-advanced vulvar cancer through dose escalation using three-dimensional radiotherapy (RT). The aim of this study is to assess the response of dose-escalated intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in locally-advanced vulvar cancer. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients treated with dose-escalated (≥ 55Gy) IMRT from 2012 to 2018 for locally-advanced vulvar cancer was performed. Patients treated with preoperative or definitive intent were included. Rates of cCR and pCR were assessed, and predictors of disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan Meier method with log rank test between groups and a parsimonious multivariate Cox model. RESULTS: Median dose to the vulva was 66.0 Gy (Interquartile Range [IQR]: 66.0-68.0) for definitive and 59.4 Gy (IQR: 58.0-59.4) for preoperative IMRT. The overall rates of cCR and pCR were 76% and 70%, respectively. DFS at two years was 65% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 50-80%) for all patients, 81% (95% CI 63% - 98%) for definitive IMRT, and 55% (95% CI 35% - 76%) for preoperative IMRT. On multivariate analysis, cCR predicted for disease-free survival (HR 0.21; 95% CI 0.06-0.76; p = 0.02), and pCR predicted for OS (HR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02-0.60; p = 0.01). Grade 3 acute and late RT toxicity was seen in 14 (29%) and 3 (6%) of patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Dose-escalated IMRT for locally-advanced vulvar cancer is well tolerated, with rates of cCR and pCR that compare favorably with published data.

Investigation of clinicopathological features of vulvar cancer in 1068 patients: A Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (JGOG) nationwide survey study.

OBJECTIVE: Vulvar cancer is a rare malignancy in the aging population, and optimizing treatment strategies requires large-scale investigation of the clinicopathological features of this disease. In Japan, no such surveys have been conducted in the past 30 years. This large-scale retrospective multi-center study aimed to examine the clinicopathological features of vulvar cancer in Japan. METHODS: Upon obtaining ethical approval by the participating institutions' review boards, the medical records of patients with vulvar cancer, who were treated between 2001 and 2010 were reviewed. The impact of clinicopathological factors on overall survival (OS) was investigated using a multivariate Cox regression model. RESULTS: After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1068 patients treated in 108 centers were included. The median age was 72 years. The disease was in stage I in 402 patients (37.6%), stage II in 249 patients (23.3%), stage III in 252 patients (23.6%), and stage IV in 165 patients (15.4%). Squamous cell carcinoma, Paget's disease, adenocarcinoma, and other diseases were diagnosed in 773 (72.4%), 154 (14.4%), 59 (5.5%), and 82 (7.7%) patients, respectively. Positive inguino-femoral lymph nodes were found in 265 (24.8%) patients. The 5-year OS rate for stage I, II, III, and IV vulvar cancer were 85.6%, 75.1%, 48.8%, and 40.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that advanced age, disease stage, histological diagnosis, tumor diameter, and lymph node metastases significantly affect the OS of patients with vulvar cancer in Japan.

Near-infrared fluorescence imaging compared to standard sentinel lymph node detection with blue dye in patients with vulvar cancer - a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the superiority of ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid for the intraoperative visual detection of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) patients compared to standard SLN detection using 99mTc-nanocolloid with blue dye. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial, VSCC patients underwent either the standard SLN procedure or with the hybrid tracer ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid. The primary endpoint was the percentage of fluorescent SLNs compared to blue SLNs. Secondary endpoints were successful SLN procedures, surgical outcomes and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were randomized to the standard (n = 24) or fluorescence imaging group (n = 24) using ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid. The percentage of blue SLNs was 65.3% compared to 92.5% fluorescent SLNs (p < 0.001). A successful SLN procedure was obtained in 92.1% of the groins in the standard group and 97.2% of the groins in the fluorescence imaging group (p = 0.33). Groups did not differ in surgical outcome, although more short-term postoperative complications were documented in the standard group (p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative visual detection of SLNs in patients with VSCC using ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid was superior compared to 99mTc-nanocolloid and blue dye. The rate of successful SLN procedures between both groups was not significantly different. Fluorescence imaging has potential to be used routinely in the SLN procedure in VSCC patients to facilitate the search by direct visualization. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register (Trial ID NL7443).

Vulvar cancer subclassification by HPV and p53 status results in three clinically distinct subtypes.

OBJECTIVE: There is great need for better risk stratification in vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC). Our aim was to define the prognostic significance of stratifying VSCC based on p16 and p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC) as surrogate markers for HPV and TP53 mutations. METHODS: A large retrospective cohort of surgically treated women with primary VSCC was used. VSCC were classified into three subtypes: HPV-positive (HPVpos), HPV-negative/p53 mutant (HPVneg/p53mut), and HPV-negative/p53 wildtype (HPVneg/p53wt). Overall survival (OS), relative survival (RS), and recurrence-free period (RFP) were depicted using the Kaplan-Meier method and survival curves for relative survival; associations were studied using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Of the 413 VSCCs, 75 (18%) were HPVpos, 63 (15%) HPVneg/p53wt, and 275 (66%) HPVneg/p53mut VSCC. Patients with HPVneg/p53mut VSCC had worse OS and RS (HR 3.43, 95%CI 1.80-6.53, and relative excess risk (RER) of 4.02; 95%CI 1.48-10.90, respectively, and worse RFP (HR 3.76, 95%CI 2.02-7.00). HPVpos VSCC patients showed most favorable outcomes. In univariate analysis, the molecular subtype of VSCC was a prognostic marker for OS, RS and RFP (p = 0.003, p = 0.009, p < 0.001, respectively) and remained prognostic for RFP even after adjusting for known risk factors (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Stratification of VSCC by p16- and p53-IHC has potential to be used routinely in diagnostic pathology. It results in the identification of three clinically distinct subtypes and may be used to guide treatment and follow-up, and in stratifying patients in future clinical trials.

Vulvar sarcoma outcomes by histologic subtype: a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database review.

OBJECTIVE: Vulvar cancers account for 5% of all gynecologic malignancies; only 1%-3% of those vulvar cancers are primary vulvar sarcomas. Given the rarity of vulvar sarcomas, outcome data specific to histopathologic subtypes are sparse. The aim of this study was to identify clinical and pathologic factors of primary vulvar sarcomas that are associated with survival and may inform treatment decisions. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was searched for women diagnosed with vulvar sarcoma between 1973 and 2018. We identified 315 patients and reviewed their demographic, clinicopathologic, surgical, and survival information. Statistical analyses included χ2 and t-tests, Kaplan-Meier survival, and Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: The most common histopathologies of vulvar sarcomas were dermatofibrosarcomas (85/315, 27%) and leiomyosarcomas (72/315, 22.9%). Rhabdomyosarcomas (18/315, 5.7%), liposarcomas (16/315, 5.1%), and malignant fibrous histiocytomas (16/315, 5.1%) were less frequent. The majority of patients underwent surgery (292/315, 92.7%), which included lymph node dissections in 21.6% (63/292). Survival and lymph node involvement varied significantly with histologic subtype. The 5-year disease-specific survival for dermatofibrosarcomas, liposarcomas, and fibrosarcomas was 100% and only 60.3% and 62.5% for malignant fibrous histiocytomas and rhabdomyosarcomas, respectively. None of the patients with (dermato)fibrosarcomas, liposarcomas, or leiomyosarcomas had positive lymph nodes, in contrast to rhabdomyosarcomas and malignant fibrous histiocytomas with 77.8% and 40% positive lymph nodes, respectively. The 5-year disease-specific survival for women with positive lymph nodes was 0%. CONCLUSIONS: Vulvar sarcomas are heterogeneous with survival highly dependent on the histopathologic subtype. While surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment for all vulvar sarcomas, staging lymphadenectomy should be deferred for (dermato)fibrosarcomas, liposarcomas, and leiomyosarcomas as there were no cases of lymph nodes metastases.

Outcomes associated with vaginectomy and vulvovaginectomy in 21 dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To report the outcomes of dogs with lesions of the genitourinary tract treated by vaginectomy or vulvovaginectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional retrospective study. ANIMALS: Female dogs that underwent vulvovaginectomy, complete vaginectomy, or subtotal vaginectomy from 2003 to 2018 with complete medical records and a minimum of 60 days follow-up. METHODS: Data collected from medical records included preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data, such as the occurrence of urinary incontinence (UIC), disease recurrence, and death/euthanasia. RESULTS: This study included 21 dogs. Four dogs had vulvovaginectomy, six had complete vaginectomy, and 11 had a subtotal vaginectomy performed. The mean age at surgery was 9.2 years (SD, 3.3). Thirteen dogs were intact at presentation. Smooth muscle tumors were diagnosed most commonly (10 leiomyomata, three leiomyosarcomas, two leiomyofibromas). The median duration of follow-up was 520 days (range, 71-1955). Major complications requiring revision surgery were recorded in two dogs. Postoperative UIC occurred in six of 21 dogs, resolving spontaneously within 60 days in three dogs. Dogs with malignant tumors (n = 6) survived at least 71 days (median, 626; 95% CI, 71-1245), and recurrence of disease occurred in two dogs. In dogs with benign tumors (n = 15), the median survival time was not reached. These dogs survived at least 104 days and had no recurrence of the disease. CONCLUSION: Vaginectomy and vulvovaginectomy resulted in prolonged survival and low rates of major complications and UIC. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides evidence to recommend that the risks of this procedure and expectations should be discussed with clients.

EXTRAMAMMARY PAGET´S DISEASE: A CASE REPORT OF VULVAR RECONSTRUCTION WITH GRACILIS MYOCUTANEOUS FLAP AFTER TOTAL VULVECTOMY.

Extramammary vulvar Paget's disease is a very rare presentation of this disease, with few symptoms, whose initial complaint is the appearance of a slow-growing erythematous plaque in the anogenital region associated with pruritus. The evolution is chronic and the diagnosis is often late. Surgical excision is the main treatment and should be performed with wide margins, due to the high rate of local recurrence. Reconstruction is often complex, requiring the use of local or remote flaps. This manuscript presents the case report of a 65-year-old female patient, who had been suffering from pruritus in the vulvar region for 2 years and had a well-defined erythematous lesion, which showed no improvement with topical treatments and that was diagnosed as Paget's disease after biopsy. After surgical excision, reconstruction was performed using bilateral myofasciocutaneous flap of the gracilis muscle, with excellent aesthetic and functional results..

Evidence-based wound classification for vulvar surgery: Implications for risk adjustment.

OBJECTIVES: The correct wound classification for vulvar procedures (VP) is ambiguous according to current definitions, and infection rates are poorly described. We aimed to analyze rates of surgical site infection (SSI) in women who underwent VP to correctly categorize wound classification. METHODS: Patients who underwent VP for dysplasia or carcinoma were collected from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (NSQIP). SSI rates of vulvar cases were compared to patients who underwent abdominal hysterectomy via laparotomy, stratified by the National Academy of Sciences wound classification. Descriptive analyses and trend tests of categorical variables were performed. RESULTS: Between 2008 and 2016, 2116 and 31,506 patients underwent a VP or TAH, respectively. Among VP, 1345 (63.6%), 364 (17.2%), and 407 (19.2%) women underwent simple vulvectomy, radical vulvectomy, or radical vulvectomy with lymphadenectomy, respectively. The overall rate of SSI for VP was higher than that observed for TAH (5.6% vs. 3.8%; p < 0.0001). While patients undergoing TAH displayed a corresponding increase in the rate of SSI with wound type (type I: 3.4%; type II: 3.8%, type III: 6.8%; type IV 10.6%; p < 0.001), no such correlation was observed for simple VP (type I: 3.3%, type II: 3.0%; type III: 3.2%; type IV: 0%; p = 0.40). On the other hand, a non-significant correlation was observed for radical VP (type I: 4.0%, type II: 10.1%; type III: 14.3%; type IV: 20.0%; p = 0.08). The overall rate of SSI in patients undergoing any radical VP was similar to patients undergoing hysterectomy with a type IV wound (10.1% vs 10.6%, p = 0.87). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing VP are at high risk of infection. Simple vulvectomy should be classified as a type II and radical vulvectomy as a type III wound. These recommendations are important for proper risk adjustment.

Endoscopic near infrared and indocyanine green to verify the viability of the subcutaneous flap for vulvar cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Vulvar cancer often requires radical vulvectomy with subsequent vulvar flap. Approximately in 20-60% of cases, there are post-operative complications ranging from infection to flap necrosis that often require reoperation. Several methods have been described to verify the vitality of the flap, but these are often expensive and require specific machinery that is not generally present in a gynecological clinic. In this case report, we present a viability verification of VY fasciocutaneous advancement flap for vulvar reconstruction by Endoscopic Near-Infrared and Indocyanine Green. METHODOLOGY: The patient was a 67-year-old woman with FIGO IB ≤ 4 cm squamous cell vulvar cancer with absence of inguinal lymphadenopathy. The lesion appeared about 35 mm from the lateral margin of the large left lip and extended to the left inguinocrural fold. The patient underwent left inguinal lymphadenectomy and left radical hemivulvectomy with a left fasciocutaneous medial-thigh advancement flap. For the flap evaluation, we endovenous administered 50 mg of Indocyanine Green diluted in 10 ml of saline solution. After 10 min we visualized the flap margin with a near-infrared laparoscopic view. The evaluation was repeated at the end of the surgical procedure and we confirmed the good vascularization of the flap. RESULTS: No early or late post-operative complications were obtained. There was no wound dehiscence, marginal necrosis or surgical site infection. CONCLUSIONS: Verifying the viability of the vulvar flap using near-infrared laparoscopic optics was easy to use, reproducible and highly economical technique. This could be a reproducible alternative to other more expensive techniques.

Vulvar Paget disease: A national retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Vulvar Paget disease (VPD) is a rare skin disorder that is considered premalignant. OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical course, treatment schedules, and effect of invasion and treatment on recurrence and survival in patients with VPD. METHODS: Data on women with VPD were retrieved from the medical files and pathology reports in all Dutch tertiary university medical centers. Disease-free survival and 5-year disease-specific survival were estimated by using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: Data on 113 patients whose VPD was diagnosed between 1991 and 2016 were analyzed; 77% had noninvasive VPD. Most of the women (65%) underwent a surgical procedure. Recurrences were reported in 40%. Of the women with noninvasive VPD, 8% developed invasion. There were no disease-specific deaths reported in the women with noninvasive VPD. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was greater than 98% in noninvasive and microinvasive VPD, but significantly worse in invasive VPD (50% [P < .0005]). LIMITATIONS: The main limitations of this study are its retrospective character and the fact that original pathology samples were not available for reassessment. CONCLUSIONS: VPD is extremely rare, and the recurrence rates are high. Most patients have noninvasive VPD, which does not affect survival and should be considered a chronic disorder with limited invasive potential. In cases of invasive disease, survival decreases significantly.