Femoral artery embolism in patients undergoing a laterally extended parametrectomy (LEP) procedure.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Since 1993 an operative technique without adjuvant therapy (laterally extended parametrectomy, the LEP procedure) has been in use at our institution for the treatment of Stage IIB cervical cancer and for patients with pelvic lymph node metastases in Stages IA-IIA. Iliac/femoral artery embolic occlusion in the cohort of LEP operated patients was studied in an 11 years long period. METHODS: The LEP-Wertheim procedure was used in 320 patients between 1994 and 2005. Embolic occlusion of the iliac and/or femoral arteries was detected in four out of 255 (1.6%) cases. Thrombectomy was done on one blood vessel in three cases, on both the deep and superficial femoral arteries in one case were executed to restore the vessel patency. RESULTS: Three out of four patients following external iliac/femoral artery emboli removal healed up without any arterial occlusion-related symptoms. In one case preventive fasciotomy was needed to treat tumescence of the legs. This patient developed transient peroneal palsy, which necessitated the use of plantar support for one month and physiotherapy for one year for gait rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: Embolus occlusion of the iliac/femoral artery during the LEP-Wertheim procedure was observed in 1.6% of cases. This complication has not been reported in the literature before in relation to radical surgery in cervical cancer. Operating teams using LEP operations should be aware of that risk, and should be prepared for treatment.