Use of video endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy (VEIL) in patients with urogenital malignancies: An observational study.

Abstract

e15101 Background: Surgical morbidity especially skin related necrosis is seen in 50% of patients following open radical inguinal lymphadenectomy in patients with urogenital malignancies. Inguinal lymphadenectomy helps in local control of disease and survival but had significant associated morbidity. We evaluated the post operative morbidity associated with minimally invasive video endoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy (VEIL). Methods: Twenty two patients with urogenital malignancies who underwent thirty nine VEIL surgeries were evaluated for postoperative outcomes and morbidity. None of the patients required conversion to open surgery. Results: The mean operative time was 125 min, drain retention was 5.4 days, mean duration of postoperative stay was 3 days and a mean of 10.5 nodes were removed. 4.5% (1/22) developed skin flap necrosis, 4.5% (1/22) developed post operative venous bleeding that was controlled with dressing, 18.1% (4/22) developed lymphocoele that was resolved within 1-3 weeks with aspirations. Persistent drain output >50ml/day was observed in 18.1 % (4/22) that was resolved by readjusting the drain. Histologically positive nodes were seen in 40.9% (9/22) of patients. Conclusions: These observations offer further support for using minimally invasive VEIL surgeries over open radical inguinal lymphadenectomy in patients with urogenital malignancies in reducing both surgical and skin related morbidity. Further randomized controlled studies are needed to validate these findings.