Transperitoneal laparoscopic pelvic and para-aortic lymph node dissection using the argon-beam coagulator and monopolar instruments: an 8-year study and description of technique.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to describe the results, technique, and complications of transperitoneal laparoscopic (LSC) pelvic and aortic lymph node dissection (LND) using the argon-beam coagulator (ABC) and monopolar electrosurgical instruments in women with gynecologic malignancies.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of 114 patients who underwent LSC pelvic and/or aortic LND in addition to other LSC procedures between 1/1994 and 12/2001 was conducted. All intraoperative complications and complications that occurred within the first 30 postoperative days were included. Complications were graded according to an institutional surgical secondary events reference. During the same time period, 89 patients underwent LSC followed immediately by laparotomy that included LND, resulting in a total of 203 cases. These 203 total cases are used as a denominator to determine the etiology of cases converted from LSC to laparotomy. Monopolar electrosurgical instruments or the 10-mm ABC (Conmed) set at 70 W with argon flow of 3-4 L/m min were used for laparoscopic nodal dissection.

RESULTS

Sixty-one of 114 (53%) patients underwent pelvic LND, 35 (31%) underwent both pelvic and aortic LND, and 18 (16%) underwent aortic LND only. Mean patient age and body mass index were 53.3 years (range, 16 to 87 years) and 25 (range, 16 to 40), respectively. In addition, the mean number of pelvic and aortic lymph nodes removed was 10.7 (range, 1 to 39) and 5.7 (range, 0 to 21), respectively. The mean estimated blood loss was 151 mL (range, 25 to 600 ml) and the mean hospital stay was 2.8 days (range, 0 to 35 days). Overall, complications occurred in eight (7%) cases. There were no fatal complications, and no patient required conversion to laparotomy due to uncontrollable bleeding from the laparoscopic nodal dissection. Only 17 of 203 (8%) patients required conversion to laparotomy secondary to adhesions and unsatisfactory exposure.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic pelvic and aortic LND for gynecologic malignancies can be satisfactorily performed in the majority of patients, with only 8% of patients requiring conversion to laparotomy due to adhesions or unsatisfactory exposure. The overall complication rate was 7% and was limited to grade 3 or less.