471 Extraperitoneal laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy for cervical cancer staging in twin pregnancy. (13th November 2020) - Corinti, M
Abstract : Introduction: In locally advanced cervical cancer the lymph node surgical staging is used to determine the disease spread before definitive treatment. Regarding pregnancy complicated by this neoplasm, a patient's wish should guide individualized approaches to possibly postpone chemoradiation and reduce fetal complications. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the extraperitoneal technique and to show the anatomy from an unusual angle in order to spread knowledge. Methods: We present a case of a 39-year-old woman with squamous cell carcinoma staged as FIGO IB2 diagnosed at 8 weeks of gestation due to a vaginal bleeding. Her first ultrasonography revealed a monochorionic diamniotic twin gestation. At 16 weeks we performed an extraperitoneal pelvic lymphadenectomy with bilateral access followed by an amplified conization and cervical cerclage. Results: The operative length was 320 minutes, 220 minutes for bilateral lymphadenectomy. Blood loss was minimal and the patient remained stable throughout the procedure. On the first postoperative day, she had moderate pelvic pain requiring opioid use. An obstetric ultrasonography was performed on the second postoperative day before hospital discharge, in which both fetuses had heartbeat, amniotic fluid was normal and the remaining cervix measured transvaginally was 1 cm. Conclusions: Despite being underused by surgeons, the extraperitoneal laparoscopic approach for pelvic lymphadenectomy is feasible. Particularly in twin pregnancies, where the uterus size may hinder access to pelvic spaces, this route becomes useful not only to avoid abdominal organs or vessels injuries but also to decrease future intestinal adhesions.