Surgery after upfront chemoradiation in locally advanced squamous cell vulvar cancer: Analysis of postoperative outcomes and survival.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the survival rates and surgery-related toxicity in patients with locally advanced squamous cell vulvar cancer (LAVC) managed by upfront chemoradiation (CRT) with/without following by surgery. CRT is the primary treatment for patients with unresectable locally advanced squamous cell vulvar carcinoma (LAVC), followed by surgery in case of residual tumor. METHODS: Patients with AJCC stage II-IV squamous cell vulvar carcinoma referred to Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli I.R.C.C.S. from January 2016 to February 2023, managed by upfront CRT, were included. RESULTS: 63 patients were included, 21 (33 %) had complete response (cCR) to CRT, 26 (41 %) had partial response (cPR), 1 (2 %) stable disease (cSD), 15 (24 %) had disease progression (cPD). In the whole population, cPR/SD and cPD were associated with reduced PFS (p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001), p16 expression was associated with improved PFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p = 0.001). Among patients with clinical residual disease after CRT, 23 patients undergoing surgery experienced improved PFS (p = 0.003) and OS (p = 0.003) compared to those receiving other treatments. Eight (35 %) patients experienced severe (grade ≥ III) postoperative complications; vulvar and groin wound dehiscence/infection were the most common complications; one (4 %) patient died in the postoperative. Patients with pathological residual disease experienced worse PFS (p = 0.013) and OS (p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical response to CRT and p16 expression strongly predict survival in LAVC. Surgery for residual disease might be associated with improved survival but is burdened by high rates of complications. Pathologic residual disease correlates with high recurrence rates and poor survival.

Healthcare associated infections in gynecologic oncology: clinical and economic impact.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the rate and type of infections in gynecological cancer patients. We also performed an economic analysis to provide an overview of costs related to healthcare associated infections. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from culture samples at the site of infection from patients undergoing surgery or chemotherapy, admitted to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, from January 2017 to December 2018. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to calculate potential risk factors for prolonged length of hospitalization. The average cost per patient was calculated, including the cost of hospital stay, operating room, medications, and diagnostic and invasive procedures. RESULTS: Among 5682 patients, 322 (5.6%) gynecological cancer patients with healthcare associated infections were identified. A total of 249 patients (77.3%) had undergone surgery in the previous 30 days and 73 (22.7%) patients were receiving chemotherapy. In the whole population, the most common healthcare associated infections were urinary infections (58%) and surgical wound infections (42.1%). In addition, 14.5% of patients had central venous catheter infections and 21.7% had blood stream infections. Median length of stay was 20 days (range 1-100). Among surgical patients, advanced age (odds ratio (OR) 1.233, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.001 to 1.519, p=0.049), bowel resection (OR 2.659, 95% CI 1.493 to 4.735, p=0.001), surgical site infection (OR 10.447, 95% CI 1.143 to 95.5, p=0.038), and central venous catheter infection (OR 9.856, 95% CI 1.139 to 85.319, p=0.038) were independently associated with an increased risk of prolonged hospital stay (>20 days). The overall direct cost of healthcare associated infections was $6 273 852 per year. CONCLUSIONS: The infection rate in our population was 5.6%. The most common healthcare associated infections were urinary and surgical wound infections. Among surgical patients, advanced age, bowel resection, surgical site, and central venous catheter infection were associated with an increased length of hospitalization. Healthcare associated infections cause an increase in the length of stay after surgery and hospital costs.

Clinical Impact of Pathologic Residual Tumor in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Patients Managed by Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Radical Surgery: A Large, Multicenter, Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Exclusive chemoradiation (E-CT/RT) represents the standard of treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Chemoradiation (CT/RT) followed by radical surgery (RS) may play a role for patients with a suboptimal response to CT/RT or in low-income countries with limited access to radiotherapy. Histologic assessment of residual tumor after CT/RT and RS allows accurate definition of prognostic categories. METHODS: Data on patients with FIGO stages 1B2 to 4A cervical cancer managed by CT/RT and RS from June 1996 to March 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Pathologic response on the cervix was defined as complete (pCR), microscopic (persistent tumor foci ≤ 3 mm) (pmicroR), or macroscopic (persistent tumor foci > 3 mm) (pmacroR). Lymph node (LN) residual tumor was classified as absent or present. RESULTS: The 701 patients in this study underwent CT/RT and RS. Of the 701 patients, 293 (41.8%) had pCR, 188 (26.8%) had pmicroR, and 220 (31.4%) had pMacroR. Residual tumor was found in the pelvic lymph nodes of 66 (9.4%) patients and the aortic lymph nodes of 29 (4.1%) patients. The 5-year DFS and OS were respectively 86.6% and 92.5% in the pCR cases, 80.3% and 89.1% in the pmicroR cases, and 56.2% and 68.8% in the pmacroR cases. Among the patients with lymph node residual tumor, the 5-year DFS and OS were respectively 16.7% and 40% in the pCR cases, 35.4% and 53.3% in the pmicroR cases, and 31.7% and 31.1% in the pmacroR cases. Cervical residual tumor,, positive pelvic LNs, and positive aortic LNs were associated with worse DFS and OS in both the uni- and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Persistence of pathologic residual tumor on the cervix and LNs after CT/RT are reliable predictors of survival for LACC patients undergoing CT/RT and adjuvant surgery.

Clinical impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection among patients with vulvar cancer: the Gemelli Vul.Can multidisciplinary team.

BACKGROUND: 'Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2' (SARS-CoV-2) infection has dramatically affected the management of patients with cancer, who are most vulnerable to the consequences of the infection. Patients with vulvar cancer are frequently elderly and affected by multiple co-morbidities, thus representing a particularly frail population. OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical impact of the SARS-CoV-2 infection among patients scheduled for treatment for active vulvar cancer. METHODS: Data on patients with vulvar tumors referred to Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS between February 2020 and July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in nasopharyngeal swab were considered as positive for SARS-Cov-2. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-one patients with vulvar cancer were evaluated and scheduled for treatment. The median age was 72 years (range 35-94). Seven (3.7%) patients were diagnosed with SARS-Cov-2 infection: three (42.9%) had their treatment delayed, with no apparent consequences, two (28.6%) had their treatment delayed and later abandoned because of clinical worsening due to oncologic disease progression, and two (28.6%) contracted the infection in the post-operative period and died due to respiratory complications. CONCLUSIONS: In most cases the infection had major clinical implications, being associated with significant delays in oncologic treatments and extremely high mortality when contracted in the post-operative period.

Treatment of Early-Stage Gynecological Cancer-Related Lower Limb Lymphedema by Lymphaticovenular Anastomosis-The Triple Incision Approach.

Background and Objectives: Lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) is one of the most relevant chronic and disabling sequelae after gynecological cancer therapy involving pelvic lymphadenectomy (PL). Supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) is a safe and effective procedure to treat LEL, particularly indicated in early-stage cases when conservative therapies are insufficient to control the swelling. Usually, preoperative assessment of these patients shows patent and peristaltic lymphatic vessels that can be mapped throughout the limb to plan the sites of skin incision to perform LVA. The aim of this study is to report the efficacy of our approach based on planning LVA in three areas of the lower limb in improving early-stage gynecological cancer-related lymphedema (GCRL) secondary to PL. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who underwent LVA for the treatment of early-stage GCRL following PL. Patients who had undergone groin dissection were excluded. Our preoperative study based on indocyanine green lymphography (ICG-L) and color doppler ultrasound (CDU) planned three incision sites located in the groin, in the medial surface of the distal third of the thigh, and in the upper half of the leg, to perform LVA. The primary outcome measure was the variation of the mean circumference of the limb after surgery. The changes between preoperative and postoperative limbs' measures were analyzed by Student's t-test. p values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Thirty-three patients were included. In every patient, three incision sites were employed to perform LVA. A total of 119 LVA were established, with an average of 3.6 for each patient. The mean circumference of the operated limb showed a significant reduction after surgery, decreasing from 37 cm ± 4.1 cm to 36.1 cm ± 4.4 (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our results suggest that in patients affected by early-stage GCRL secondary to PL, the placement of incision sites in all the anatomical subunits of the lower limb is one of the key factors in achieving good results after LVA.

The role of robotic aortic lymphadenectomy in gynecological cancer: surgical and oncological outcome in a single institution experience.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the surgical outcomes observed in robotic transperitoneal aortic lymphadenectomy (AL) in gynecological cancer patients. METHODS: Retrospective data were collected and analyzed on 71 patients undergoing robotic surgical procedures for gynecological cancers, including transperitoneal AL, between December 2014 and February 2018 at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. RESULTS: Median age of the sample population was 50 years (range, 26-76 years). The median operative time was 210 minutes (range, 75-480 minutes), the median estimated blood loss was 50 ml (range, 20-300 ml). The number of para-aortic nodes removed was 12 (range, 7-43). In the whole series, 13 patients (18.3%) had at least one metastatic node. Overall, 10 patients (14.1%) experienced any grade early postoperative complications. Three patients experienced more than one complication. Three intraoperative complications occurred with two cases of vascular injury. Conversion to laparotomy was necessary for one patient (1.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows the safety and adequacy of robotic transperitoneal AL as surgical staging step for gynecological cancers in terms of perioperative and postoperative outcomes.

Feasibility of early postoperative bladder catheter removal without prior bladder-training exercises after laparoscopic nerve sparing radical hysterectomy.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the feasibility of early postoperative bladder catheter removal without prior bladder-training exercises after laparoscopic nerve sparing radical hysterectomy (LNSRH). The post-operative bladder catheterisation period of 30 patients who underwent LNSRH at two institutes in Egypt and Italy were prospectively evaluated with postoperative drainage of the bladder through a Foley catheter for two days without performing bladder-training exercise. The median duration for postoperative bladder catheterisation was 3.5 (3-5) days. Within the fifth postoperative day, 82.7% had a PVR urine volume less than 100 ml. None of the patients had PVR urine more than 100 ml more than 10 days after the operation with no need for self-catheterisation. These results support early postoperative bladder catheter removal without prior bladder-training exercises following LNSRH. IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? Bladder-training exercise was used routinely following radical hysterectomy (RH) operations before bladder catheter removal. Only two studies reported that these exercises could be omitted, but one study was done on both laparoscopic and open RH patients and the other did not show whether the operation was nerve-sparing and whether it was done by laparoscopy or open technique. What the results of this study add? This study's results support early postoperative bladder catheter removal without prior bladder-training exercises after laparoscopic nerve sparing RH. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Excluding the unnecessary procedure of bladder training, which is time- and effort-consuming, after the operation.

Robotic Surgery in Elderly and Very Elderly Gynecologic Cancer Patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility, safety, and short-term outcomes of robotic surgery (RS) for gynecologic oncologic indications (cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer) in elderly patients, especially women age 65 to 74 years (elderly group [EG]) compared with women age ≥75 years (very elderly group [VEG]). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. PATIENTS: Between May 2013 and April 2017, 204 elderly and very elderly patients underwent RS procedures for gynecologic malignancies. RESULTS: The median age was 71 years (range, 65-74 years) in the EG and 77 years (range, 75-87 years) in the VEG. The incidence of cardiovascular disease was higher in the VEG (p = .038). The EG and VEG were comparable in terms of operative time, blood loss, and need for blood transfusion. Almost all (98.5%) of the patients underwent total/radical hysterectomy, 109 patients (55.6% of the EG vs 48.3% of the VEG) underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy, and 19 patients (10.5% of the EG vs 6.7% of the VEG) underwent aortic lymphadenectomy. A total of 7 (3.4%) conversions to open surgery were registered. Only 3 patients required postoperative intensive care unit admission. The median length of hospital stay was 2 days in each group. A total of 11 patients (5.6%) had early postoperative complications. Four patients (2.8%) in the EG and 2 patients (3.3%) in the VEG experienced grade ≥2 complications. At the time of analysis, median follow-up was 18 months (range, 6-55 months). Eleven patients (5.6%) experienced disease relapse, 2 (1%) died of disease, and 3 (1.5%) died of cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility, safety, and good short-term outcomes of RS in elderly and very elderly gynecologic cancer patients. No patient can be considered too old for a minimally invasive robotic approach, but a multidisciplinary approach is the best management pathway; efforts to reduce associated morbidity are essential.

Robotic Rectosigmoid Resection with Totally Intracorporeal Colorectal Anastomosis (TICA) for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Case Series and Description of the Technique.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with ovarian cancer relapse within 2 years. Prospective randomized trials, such as DESKTOP III and SOC-I, have shown the role of secondary cytoreduction in improving oncological outcomes in selected patients, when complete tumor resection is achieved. Recent retrospective series suggest that minimally invasive surgery is a feasible option in oligometastatic recurrences, such as rectal ones. METHODS: Five patients with an isolated rectal recurrence infiltrating the bowel wall underwent a robotic rectosigmoid resection with totally intracorporeal colorectal anastomosis. The procedure began with retroperitoneal access to manage the vascular structures, followed by visceral resection with a minimally invasive approach. The standard steps of an en-bloc pelvic resection, including intracorporeal end-to-end anastomosis, were performed. The treatment data were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 54 years, and their mean body mass index was 30. All patients had at least one previous abdominal surgery and 60% had high-grade serous ovarian cancer at their initial diagnosis. Their mean platinum-free interval was 17.4 months. Complete secondary cytoreduction was achieved in all cases, with histopathology confirming bowel infiltration. The mean procedure duration was 294 min, with an estimated blood loss of 180 mL. No intraoperative complications occurred. The mean hospital stay was 8 days. One patient had a grade 2 postoperative complication. The mean follow-up period was 14 months, with only one patient experiencing a recurrence at the level of the abdominal wall. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic rectosigmoid resection is a viable option for complete cytoreduction in isolated recurrent ovarian cancer.

Robotic approach for the treatment of gynecological cancers recurrences: A ten-year single-institution experience.

INTRODUCTION: Although the management of gynecological cancers recurrences may be challenging, due to the heterogeneity of recurrent disease, the aim of this work is to present a descriptive analysis of gynecological malignancies recurrences in our institution treated by robotic approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review and analysis of data of patients who underwent robotic surgery for recurrent gynecological malignancies at Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, from January 2013 to January 2024. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients underwent successful robotic cytoreductive surgery. The median age was 63 years; the median BMI was 33 kg/m2 and most of the patients (59 %) were obese. In 12 cases (22 %) the relapse presented was the second or third relapse. The most frequent patterns of recurrence were represented by lymph nodes (41 %), followed by peritoneal (26 %), pelvic (22 %) and parenchymal (11 %). In all patients complete cytoreduction was achieved. In 29 patients (54 %) the surgical field was previous treated. The median operative time and estimated blood loss were, respectively, 270 min and 100 ml. There were 2 intraoperative complications, managed endoscopically; 10 early postoperative complications, and 3 late postoperative complications. The 2-year progression-free-survival and overall survival were, respectively, 39.8 % and 72.3 %. CONCLUSION: Robotic approach in the treatment of recurrent gynecological cancers should be considered in selected patients with oligometastatic disease, in high-volume centers with expert surgeons, particularly in obese patients.

Robotic surgery in ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer (OC) represents one of the most lethal cancers in women. The aim of surgical treatment is complete cytoreduction in advanced stages and a surgical staging in early stages. Although the guidelines still suggest laparotomy as the standard approach, in recent years minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become increasingly popular in the treatment of OC, especially in early stages, because the 5-year relative survival exceeds 90% and the patients' quality of life cannot be overshadowed. However, MIS has been demonstrated to have a role even in advanced stages, in the prediction of optimal cytoreduction, identification patients who may benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and, more recently, in the interval debulking surgery, as in selected cases of secondary cytoreduction for recurrent ovarian cancer. The aim of this review is to describe the MIS (especially robotic surgery), with its advantages and pitfalls, in the treatment of OC.

Lymphatic Function of the Lower Limb after Groin Dissection for Vulvar Cancer and Reconstruction with Lymphatic SCIP Flap.

Inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy, frequently performed for vulvar cancer, is burdened with substantial immediate and long-term morbidity. One of the most disabling treatment-related sequelae is lower limb lymphedema (LLL). The present study aims to describe the wound complications and the severity of LLL in patients who have undergone groin dissection for vulvar cancer and immediate inguinal reconstruction with the Lymphatic Superficial Circumflex Iliac Perforator flap (L-SCIP). We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who underwent bilateral groin dissection and unilateral inguinal reconstruction with the L-SCIP. The presence and severity of postoperative LLL during the follow-up period were assessed by lymphoscintigraphy and limbs' volume measurement. In addition, immediate complications at the level of the inguinal area were registered. The changes between preoperative and postoperative limb volumes were analyzed by Student's t test. p values < 0.05 were considered significant. Thirty-one patients were included. The mean variation of volume was 479 ± 330 cc3 in the side where groin reconstruction had been performed, and 683 ± 425 cc3 in the contralateral side, showing smaller variation in the treated side (p = 0.022). Lymphoscintigraphy confirmed the clinical findings. Based on our results, inguinal reconstruction with L-SCIP performed at the same time of groin dissection in patients treated for vulvar cancer can provide a significant protective effect on LLL.

Feasibility, indications and complications of SCIP flap for reconstruction after extirpative surgery for vulvar cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical therapy for vulvar cancer involves wide defects that often require flap-based reconstruction. The goal of the reconstruction is fast wound healing with low donor site morbidity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective observational cohort study in which we reviewed all patients who underwent surgery for vulvar cancer followed by reconstruction using the Superficial Circumflex Iliac Artery Perforator (SCIP) flap between 2015 and 2020. The primary outcome measure of this investigation was the incidence of wound complications. The secondary outcomes were the surgical indications in terms of establishing the anatomical subunits involved in the resection that made us choose this flap for reconstruction. This study adheres to the STROBE guidelines. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were included; in two cases, the flap was performed bilaterally for a total of 34 SCIP flaps. The mean age of patients was 70.6 ± 8.6 years, and the mean BMI was 26.8 ± 4.7. The SCIP flap was always feasible. The mean flap size was 128.8 ± 74.3cm2. Three patients showed wound complications. In every patient, the defect involved the vulva, perineum and inguinal area; in 18 patients, the mons pubis was also involved. The mean follow-up was 30 months. During the follow-up, six patients died, and four showed local or nodal cancer relapse. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the advantages of SCIP flap for the reconstruction of vulvoperineal defects secondary to vulvar cancer surgery include low complication rate, minimal donor site morbidity, quick dissection, proximity of donor and recipient sites, possibility to harvest large skin islands of variable thickness and chimeric flaps.

Update on the secondary cytoreduction in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer: a narrative review.

The ovarian cancer recurrence occurs in 75% of patients with advanced FIGO stage, and its treatment is a challenge for the oncologist in gynecology. The standard treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC) usually includes intravenous chemotherapy according to platinum sensitivity. Furthermore, maintenance treatment with target therapies [e.g., anti-angiogenic drug or PARP inhibitors (PARPi)], should be provided if not precedently administrated. In this scenario, secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCS) remains a practical but controversial option for platinum-sensitive ROC (PSROC). So far, several retrospective series and a Cochrane meta-analysis had concluded that SCS could determine better survival outcomes in ROC with favorable prognostic characteristics, such as the presence of a single anatomical site of recurrence, or when patients are accurately selected for surgery based on complete resection's predictive models. Recently, three randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigated the role of SCS in PSROC patients selected with different criteria. All the three RCTs showed a significant statistical advantage in progression-free survival (PFS) in the SCS group, with an even more significant difference in patients with complete cytoreduction (about 7-month PFS increased). Data on overall survival (OS) are different in the two completed trials. The GOG213 study has documented a longer OS of PSROC patients who received chemotherapy alone compared to surgery plus chemotherapy. Contrarily, the DESKTOP III trial showed 7.7 months of increased OS in the surgery group vs. chemotherapy alone, with a more difference in the complete tumor cytoreduction (CTC) group (12 months). These RCTs thereby suggest that undergoing complete cytoreduction may not be the only key and that the disease biology may also matter. Few recent retrospective series investigated the role of SCS according to BRCA mutation status and the effect of SCS in patients receiving emerging PARPi. A consequence of the developments in SCS and knowledge of different molecular pathways influencing the recurrent disease is that the future research objective should be to individualize and personalize the surgical approach.

Role of minimally invasive surgery versus open approach in patients with early-stage uterine carcinosarcomas: a retrospective multicentric study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to compare surgical and survival outcome in only patients with early-stage UCSs managed by laparotomic surgery (LPT) versus minimally invasive surgery (MIS). METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected in four Italian different institutions. Inclusion criteria were UCS diagnosis confirmed by the definitive histological examination, and stage I or II according to the FIGO staging system. RESULTS: Between August 2000 and March 2019, the data relative to 170 patients bearing UCSs were collected: of these, 95 were defined as early-stage disease (stage I-II) based on the histological report at the primary surgery, and thus were included in this study. Forty-four patients were managed by LPT, and 51 patients were managed by MIS. The operative time was lower in the MIS group versus the LPT group (p value 0.021); the median estimated blood loss was less in the MIS group compared to the median of LPT group (p value < 0.0001). The length of hospital stay days was shorter in the MIS patients (p value < 0.0001). Overall, there were eight (8.4%) post-operative complications; of these, seven were recorded in the LPT group versus one in the MIS group (p value 0.023). There was no difference in the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: There was no difference of oncologic outcome between the two approaches, in face of a more favourable peri-operative and post-operative profile in the MIS group.

Surgical outcomes of segmental ureteral resection with ureteroneocystostomy after major gynecologic surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Describing the surgical and oncological outcome of bladder-preserving ureter reconstruction (BPUR) with segmental ureteral resection after major gynecologic surgery. MATHERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with BPUR admitted at a single institution between March 2012 and July 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical and oncological data were assessed. RESULTS: Forty-six women with gynecologic tumors involving the ureter were treated with BPUR. R0 resection was achieved in 40/46 patients (86.9%), while pathologic margins were microscopically positive in 6 women (13.1%). Overall, 12 women (26.0%) received radiotherapy before surgery: among them, 8 patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Twenty-six women underwent BPUR during primary surgery, whereas 20 (43.4%) required BPUR upon recurrence. Twenty-six patients (56.2%) were found to have hydronephrosis at pre-operative workup. The psoas bladder hitch was the most common procedure performed for urinary reconstruction (63%) with respect to direct reimplantation (37%). Fourteen patients (14/46 = 30.4%) experienced urological complications. Urinary leakage occurred in 9 patients (19.5%), specifically: 5 uretero-vaginal fistula, 3 uroperitoneum, 1 uretero-enteral fistula. There were 3 cases (6.5%) of hydronephrosis at the side of ureteroneocystostomy and 2 cases (4.3%) of unilateral renal impairment requiring nephrectomy. At multivariate analysis only pre-operative radiotherapy (p = 0.047) and a history of pelvic irradiation (p = 0.025) were independently associated with an increased risk of developing severe urinary complications. CONCLUSIONS: BPUR is feasible in gynecologic cancer with invasion of the urinary tract. However, since a slight increase of post-operative urological complications was observed in the previously irradiated fields, a personalized surgical planning is recommended for these women in the next future.

Robotic versus laparoscopic radical hysterectomy in early cervical cancer: A case matched control study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims at evaluating the feasibility, surgical outcome and oncological results observed after robotic radical hysterectomy (RH) compared to laparoscopy for patients with early stage cervical cancer (ECC) patients. METHODS: Between January 2010 and October 2016, 210 patients underwent RH for treatment of ECC: 70 underwent robotic approach (Cases), and 140 underwent laparoscopic approach (Controls). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two approaches with regard to clinical patient characteristics and in terms of extent of RH and rate of pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy. Operative time was significantly longer in the robotic versus laparoscopic group (median = 243 min, range 90-612 versus median = 210 min, range 80-660; p value = 0.008). Conversion to laparotomy was necessary in 4 patients (1.9%) in the whole series. No difference was found in terms of intraoperative and postoperative complications between the two groups. Overall, during the observation period, 34 (16.2%) patients experienced any grade postoperative complications, and 21 (10.0%) had >G2 complications. The 3-yr DFS was 88.0% versus 84.0% in robotic and laparoscopic group, respectively (p value = 0.866). Central and/or lateral pelvic disease represented the most common site of relapse. The 3-yr OS was 90.8% in patients underwent robotic RH versus 94.0% in patients underwent laparoscopic RH (p value = 0.924). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows the equivalence of robotic and laparoscopic approaches to radical surgery of ECC patients, in terms of perioperative and postoperative outcomes with equivalent survival figures, and thus the choice of approach can be tailored to the choice of patient and surgeon.