Robotically-assisted laparoscopic radical parametrectomy and radical vaginectomy.

BACKGROUND

Radical parametrectomy is a technically challenging operation used for women found to have occult cervix cancer after a hysterectomy for benign reasons. A similar operation, radical vaginectomy, is rarely performed because of the its technical difficulty in getting adequate margins without an attached uterus.

CASE REPORTS

A 41-year-old woman was found to have a presumed surgical Stage IB1 squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix at time of surgery for uterine prolapse. The patient was offered multiple options of surgery and chemoradiation. A second case, a 55-year-old woman, was found to have 1 cm vaginal cancer nine years after a total vaginal hysterectomy for carcinoma in situ of the cervix. She was also offered chemoradiation versus surgery. For the robotically-assisted laparoscopic radical parametrectomy operating time was 186 minutes with an estimated blood loss of 250 ml. For the robotically-assisted laparoscopic radical vaginectomy operating time was 154 minutes with an estimated blood loss of 150 ml. Neither patient had a hospitalization over 24 hours. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotically-assisted laparoscopic radical paremetrectomy and vaginectomy are both technically feasible procedures.