Laparoscopic surgical staging for uterine malignancies using harmonic shears (UltraCision) in comparison to electrosurgery: operative technique, feasibility and complications

Abstract

This retrospective study assesses and compares perioperative parameters in two groups of patients treated by different operative techniques of laparoscopic surgical staging (LASS) for uterine cancer. Between April 1996 and May 2005, 119 consecutively selected women with cervical cancer (n=30) or clinical stage I endometrial cancer (n=89) underwent laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH), total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) or radical laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (RALVH) plus bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) and/or lymph node dissection (LND) during a primary surgical procedure using an electrosurgery (ELC, n=37) or ultrasonic (US, n=82) operative technique (harmonic shears, UltraCision). The UltraCision was used as a primary method of dissection and hemostasis from 1999. We were unable to perform prompt and thorough hemostasis in 2 patients from the US group (successful procedure rate 97.5%) because of ineffective post-ultrasonic coagulation of venous paravaginal varices (RALVH procedure) and of vena ovarica varices (LAVH, BSO procedure). The UltraCision was effective in all cases of lymphadenectomy. Successful procedure rate of the ELC operative technique was 100%. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to operation time, blood loss, hospital stay, and complications. There was a significant difference (P<0.001) in the number of lymph nodes harvested: a mean of 18.1 in the US group and 13.7 in the ELC group. We think that the difference was influenced by an increase in experience with laparoscopic lymph node dissection. The UltraCision operative technique ensures efficient dissection, coagulation, cutting, and grasping for LASS in women with cervical and endometrial cancer.