Laparoscopic Approach for Ectopic Pregnancy in a Rudimentary Horn: Stepwise Demonstration of Surgical Technique.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a comprehensive, step-by-step presentation of the laparoscopic resolution of ectopic pregnancy within a rudimentary uterine horn. DESIGN: A detailed demonstration of the laparoscopic technique presented through narrated video footage. SETTING: Pregnancy occurring in the rudimentary horn of a unicornuate uterus represents a rare form of ectopic pregnancy [1]. This condition is associated with a high risk of uterine rupture. Early detection is crucial for effective management and prevention of potential complications [2,3]. In this manuscript, we present a case study of a patient diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy in a rudimentary horn, who underwent successful laparoscopic resection. INTERVENTIONS: Ten main steps were identified and described in detail during the laparoscopic resection: Step 1: identification of the anatomy; Step 2: uterine mobilization; Step 3: Open retroperitoneum; Step 4: Coagulation and section of left round ligament; Step 5: Bladder dissection; Step 6: Identification of vessels; Step 7: Coagulation and section of left utero-ovarian vessels; Step 8: Coagulation and section of uterine vessels; Step 9: Section of uterine septum; Step 10: Specimen removed. CONCLUSION: This publication offers a detailed and instructive account of the laparoscopic resection of ectopic pregnancy within a rudimentary uterine horn. The stepwise approach demonstrated in the accompanying video contributes to a deeper understanding of this complex surgical technique. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

[High-risk endometrial carcinoma in early stages: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, oncological results]. / Carcinoma de endometrio de alto riesgo en estadios iniciales: resultados oncológicos, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires

Introduction: Endometrial cancer is the second most frequent gynecological tumor in Argentina, representing 6% of all cancers in women. The objective of this study is to evaluate the oncological and perioperative results in patients with high-risk endometrial cancer (HREC) limited to the uterus, treated at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, between January 2010-2018. Methods: Retrospective cohort study that evaluated perioperative results, disease-free survival at 2, 4 years in patients with HREC. Results: Of a total of 123 patients, 74 met the inclusion criteria. Serous tumors were the most frequent histological type, n=38 (51%), while dedifferentiated tumors were the least frequent, n=2 (3%). Of all the patients included, 56 (76%) received at least one adjuvant treatment. Taxol platinum-based chemotherapy was implemented in 28 patients (38%), while 24 (33%) received a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The median follow-up time was 2.9 years. Disease-free survival in patients with stage IA at 2 and 4 years was 71% (95% CI 55-82) and 63% (CI 46-76), respectively, while those with stage IB were 53 (95% CI 33-70) and 38 (95% CI 19-58). Regarding the surgical approach, no significant differences were found in disease-free or overall survival when comparing the laparoscopic with the laparotomy approach (p=0.06). Conclusion: Only the FIGO stage showed an increased probability of death or relapse regardless of the type of adjuvant treatment and the type of surgery approach. Perioperative complications were similar in both approaches.

Introducción: En Argentina el cáncer de endometrio es el segundo tumor ginecológico más frecuente, representando el 6% de todos los cánceres en mujeres. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar los resultados oncológicos y perioperatorios, en pacientes con cáncer de endometrio de alto riesgo (CEAR) limitados al útero tratadas en el Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires entre enero 2010-2018. Métodos: Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo que evaluó los resultados perioperatorios, la supervivencia libre de enfermedad a los 2, 4 años en pacientes con CEAR. Resultados: 74 pacientes cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Los tumores serosos fueron los más frecuente n=38 (51%), mientras que los desdiferenciados, los de menor frecuencia, n=2 (3%). 56 (76%) pacientes recibieron al menos un tratamiento adyuvante. El tratamiento sistémico fue implementado en 28 pacientes (38%), mientras que 24 (33%) recibieron una combinación de quimioterapia y radioterapia.  La mediana de seguimiento fue de 2,9 años. La supervivencia libre de enfermedad, en pacientes con estadio IA a los 2 y 4 años fue de 71% (IC 95% 55-82) y 63 % (IC 46 -76) respectivamente, mientras que aquellas que presentaban un estadio IB fue de 53 (IC 95% 33-70) y 38 (IC 95% 19-58). En cuanto a la vía quirúrgica de abordaje, no se encontraron diferencias significativas en la supervivencia libre de enfermedad ni en las complicaciones perioperatorias. Conclusión: Sólo el estadio FIGO mostró un aumento en la probabilidad de muerte o recaída independientemente del tipo de tratamiento adyuvante realizado y de la vía de abordaje seleccionada.

Oncological outcomes of laparoscopic radical hysterectomy versus radical abdominal hysterectomy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer: a multicenter analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Recent evidence has shown adverse oncological outcomes when minimally invasive surgery is used in early-stage cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to compare disease-free survival in patients that had undergone radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, either by laparoscopy or laparotomy. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of patients with cervical cancer stage IA1 with lymph-vascular invasion, IA2, and IB1 (FIGO 2009 classification), between January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2017, at seven cancer centers from six countries. We included squamous, adenocarcinoma, and adenosquamous histologies. We used an inverse probability of treatment weighting based on propensity score to construct a weighted cohort of women, including predictor variables selected a priori with the possibility of confounding the relationship between the surgical approach and survival. We estimated the HR for all-cause mortality after radical hysterectomy with weighted Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: A total of 1379 patients were included in the final analysis, with 681 (49.4%) operated by laparoscopy and 698 (50.6%) by laparotomy. There were no differences regarding the surgical approach in the rates of positive vaginal margins, deep stromal invasion, and lymphovascular space invasion. Median follow-up was 52.1 months (range, 0.8-201.2) in the laparoscopic group and 52.6 months (range, 0.4-166.6) in the laparotomy group. Women who underwent laparoscopic radical hysterectomy had a lower rate of disease-free survival compared with the laparotomy group (4-year rate, 88.7% vs 93.0%; HR for recurrence or death from cervical cancer 1.64; 95% CI 1.09-2.46; P=0.02). In sensitivity analyzes, after adjustment for adjuvant treatment, radical hysterectomy by laparoscopy compared with laparotomy was associated with increased hazards of recurrence or death from cervical cancer (HR 1.7; 95% CI 1.13 to 2.57; P=0.01) and death for any cause (HR 2.14; 95% CI 1.05-4.37; P=0.03). CONCLUSION: In this retrospective multicenter study, laparoscopy was associated with worse disease-free survival, compared to laparotomy.

Oncological and obstetrical outcomes after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by fertility-sparing surgery in patients with cervical cancer ≥2 cm.

OBJECTIVE: There is significant debate between up-front radical trachelectomy versus neo-adjuvant chemotherapy before fertility-sparing surgery in patients with tumors ≥2 cm. The aim of this study was to report on the oncological and obstetrical outcome of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by fertility-sparing surgery, in patients diagnosed with cervical cancer ≥2 cm. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer measuring ≥2 cm to ≤6 cm, who were scheduled to undergo neo-adjuvant chemotherapy before fertility-sparing surgery, at six institutions from four Latin American countries between February 2009 and February 2019. Data collected included: age, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2009 stage, histology, tumor size, pre-treatment imaging work-up, chemotherapy agents and number of cycles, toxicity, clinical and imaging response rate, type of fertility-sparing surgery, pathology results, timing of lymphadenectomy, follow-up time, and obstetrical and oncological outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 25 patients were included, with a median age of 27 years (range 20-37): 17 patients had stage IB1, 7 had stage IB2 cervical cancer, and 1 patient had stage IIA1 (FIGO 2009); 23 patients had squamous cell carcinoma and 2 patients had adenocarcinoma. The median number of chemotherapy cycles was 3 (range 3-6) and no toxicity grade 3-4 was reported. Lymphadenectomy was performed before chemotherapy in 6 (24%) patients. After neo-adjuvant chemotherapy 20 patients were scheduled for radical trachelectomy (11 abdominal and 9 laparoscopic) and 5 patients for conization. After surgery, no residual disease was found in 11 patients (44%). Fertility was preserved in 23 patients (92%) and 10 patients became pregnant (43.5%). After a median follow-up time of 47 months (13-133), 3 patients had recurrent disease (3/23=13%), 2 were alive without disease, and 1 patient had disease at last contact. CONCLUSION: Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by fertility-sparing surgery is feasible in well selected patients with cervical tumors ≥2 cm. Future studies should focus on the timing of lymphadenectomy and type of cervical surgery.

Laparoscopic radical trachelectomy: technique, feasibility, and outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Our objectives are to describe our surgical technique for laparoscopic radical trachelectomy, to evaluate its feasibility, and to present the perioperative results at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina. METHODS: We analyzed 4 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical trachelectomy for early-stage cervical cancer between December 2011 and May 2013. RESULTS: Four patients were included in this study. Total laparoscopic radical trachelectomy was performed in all cases. The mean age was 26 years (range, 19-32 years), the mean body mass index was 21 (range, 18-23), and the mean length of hospital stay was 33 hours (range, 24-36 hours). The mean operative time was 225 minutes (range, 210-240 minutes), and no complications were reported. During the postoperative period, only 1 patient presented with left vulvar edema, which resolved spontaneously. The pelvic and parametrial lymph nodes, as well as the vaginal cuff and cervical resection margins, were negative for malignancy in all cases. On average, 18 pelvic lymph nodes (range, 15-20) were removed. The tumor stage was IB in all 4 patients, and the mean tumor size was 17 mm (range, 12-31 mm). No patient required conversion to laparotomy. CONCLUSION: We consider laparoscopic radical trachelectomy, performed by trained surgeons, a feasible and safe therapeutic option as a fertility-sparing surgical technique, with good perioperative outcomes for women with early-stage cervical cancer with a desire to preserve their fertility. Minimally invasive surgery provides the widely known benefits of this type of approach.