D. Cavanagh

Lymphoscintigraphy in vulvar cancer: a pilot study.

Abstract This pilot study was undertaken to correlate the patterns of lymphatic drainage demonstrated by vulvar lymphoscintigraphy with the clinical and pathologic findings of the inguinofemoral lymph nodes in patients with vulvar cancer. Ten patients were studied with the radionuclide Technetium-antimony trisulfide colloid (Tc 99m ASC) using a perilesional technique. Images were obtained at 2–4 hr postinjection. Four of the six patients with central lesions or lesions that crossed the midline had bilateral groin uptake, and two had unilateral uptake to the side on which the lesion was predominantly located. Three of these patients, each with suspicious groin nodes bilaterally, had metastatic nodal disease, two unilateral and one bilateral, in whom the uptake was bilateral and unilateral, respectively. Three of the four patients with unilateral lesions had ipsilateral groin drainage only and one had no drainage. Three underwent a bilateral lymphadenectomy and none had metastasis. The pattern of Tc 99m ASC uptake was not predictive of metastatic nodal disease. In two of the three patients with unilateral groin recurrence the side of recurrence was the same as that demonstrated on lymphoscintigraphy, and in the third case there was bilateral drainage. Further data are needed to determine the role of lymphoscintigraphy in the management of vulvar cancer.

Ultraradical surgery for advanced carcinoma of the vulva: an update

From July 1, 1955 to March 31, 1989 24 patients with locally advanced vulvar cancer underwent ultraradical resection. Three patients had received prior radiotherapy. Seventeen of the 24 patients underwent posterior exenteration, four underwent anterior exenteration, and the remaining three required a total pelvic exenteration. One patient died 3 months postoperatively of fulminating infection considered to be a complication of the operation. Three other patients experienced serious complications, including postoperative hemorrhage, severe urinary sepsis, and colostomy stoma necrosis. Eleven (46%) of the 24 patients have remained alive without evidence of recurrent cancer for at least 3 years. Of the 10 patients known to have died of recurrent cancer, nine had positive lymph nodes at the time of surgery. It may be reasonable to utilize ultraradical surgery in patients with clearly resectable lesions who have negative or perhaps 1 or 2 microscopically positive regional lymph nodes.

Use of local flaps in the preservation of fecal continence following resection of perianal neoplasias.

The feasibility of achieving curative resection of perianal pre-invasive and invasive lesions with preservation of fecal continence was studied prospectively. Resection of these lesions involved excision of as much as the anterior third of the external anal sphincter. Twenty-two patients had invasive cancer and nine had extensive carcinoma in situ suspicious for invasive disease on preoperative assessment. Anal reconstruction consisted of plication of the external anal sphincter and plication of the puborectalis muscles. The perianal/perineal defects were closed using bilateral rhomboid flaps in 21 patients, unilateral rhomboid flaps in five patients and local advancement flaps in five patients. Twenty-eight patients were ultimately continent of feces, although two required further surgery for incontinence. Two of the three incontinent patients had fecal incontinence before surgery. Two patients had recurrence of invasive cancer, neither of which was perineal or perianal. Curative surgery of selected perianal lesions with preservation of fecal continence can be achieved with local resection and reconstruction with the use of local full thickness skin flaps.

Isolated skin bridge metastasis following modified radical vulvectomy and bilateral inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy.

Separate vulvar and groin incisions have significantly reduced the morbidity of vulvar cancer surgery. We describe a patient with FIGO stage II squamous vulvar cancer, who developed an ipsilateral tumor recurrence in the skin bridge between the vulva and the groin within 7 months of modified radical vulvectomy and bilateral inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy, using triple incisions. The recurrence was treated by wide local excision alone and she remains free of disease 2 years later. Although rare, the potential for failing to excise tumor emboli in the lymphatics of the skin bridge must be recognized when the triple incision technique is used in the surgical treatment of vulvar cancer.

Early cervical cancer coexistent with idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease

Early invasive carcinoma of the cervix may be treated by surgery or radiation therapy. Two patients with early cervical cancer are presented whose concomitant inflammatory bowel disease figured significantly in the selection of surgery as treatment. The use of radiotherapy in the face of inflammatory bowel disease, however, is not clearly addressed in the literature.

Concentrated albumin infusion as an aid to postoperative recovery after pelvic exenteration

addition to maintenance intravenous crystalloid solution according to ideal body weight. The second group of 18 patients received only a standard crystalloid solution. The albumin infusion group was found to have a more stable postoperative course as evidenced by less fluid boluses (P < O.Ol), fewer electrolyte bolus requirements (P < 0.01) and easier management of blood pressure and urine output. There was a 50% decrease in total fluid requirement, a higher mean right atria1 pressure (P < 0.05) and a lower maintenance intravenous fluid rate (P < 0.01). As a consequence, central hyperalimentation was started earlier (P < 0.01) and the albumin infusion group left the Intensive Care Unit sooner than the non-albumin infusion group. There was not a single instance of clinical fluid overload with this slow infusion technique. Thus, concentrated albumin infusion was beneficial in the acute fluid management of these difficult patients.

A Pilot Study Utilizing Intraoperative Lymphoscintigraphy for Identification of the Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Vulvar Cancer

OBJECTIVE To identify sentinel lymph nodes using intraoperative lymphoscintigraphy. METHODS Technetium-99-labeled sulfur colloid was injected at the site of primary vulvar carcinoma. An intraoperative gamma counter was used to identify one or more sentinel lymph nodes. RESULTS Ten patients underwent bilateral inguinal and femoral lymphadenectomy. The clinical stages are as follows: T1 in 6, T2 in 2, and T3 in 2. A total of four groins (3 patients) were positive for metastases. In one patient only the sentinel node was positive for disease. In a second patient, two unilateral nodes were positive for disease and both were identified with the gamma counter as sentinel nodes. In the third patient, a single sentinel node was positive for malignancy in each groin. Multiple nonsentinel lymph nodes were positive in each groin in this patient. In no case was the sentinel node negative when other nonsentinel nodes were positive. CONCLUSION Intraoperative lymphoscintigraphy quantitatively identifies one or more sentinel lymph nodes. Since sentinel lymph nodes can be localized transcutaneously, this technique may be useful for selective lymphadenectomy. Larger patient accrual is necessary to verify this technique.

Lymphoscintigraphy in vulvar cancer: A pilot study

This pilot study was undertaken to correlate the patterns of lymphatic drainage demonstrated by vulvar lymphoscintigraphy with the clinical and pathologic findings of the inguino-femoral lymph nodes in patients with vulvar cancer. Ten patients were studied with the radionuclide Technetium-antimony trisulfide colloid (Tc 99m ASC) using a perilesional technique. Images were obtained at 2-4 hr postinjection. Four of the six patients with central lesions or lesions that crossed the midline had bilateral groin uptake, and two had unilateral uptake to the side on which the lesion was predominantly located. Three of these patients, each with suspicious groin nodes bilaterally, had metastatic nodal disease, two unilateral and one bilateral, in whom the uptake was bilateral and unilateral, respectively. Three of the four patients with unilateral lesions had ipsilateral groin drainage only and one had no drainage. Three underwent a bilateral lymphadenectomy and none had metastasis. The pattern of Tc 99m ASC uptake was not predictive of metastatic nodal disease. In two of the three patients with unilateral groin recurrence the side of recurrence was the same as that demonstrated on lymphoscintigraphy, and in the third case there was bilateral drainage. Further data are needed to determine the role of lymphoscintigraphy in the management of vulvar cancer.

Percutaneous nephrostomy and ureteral stenting in gynecologic malignancies

Objective: To identify the in, dications, complications, and efficacy of percutaneous nephrostomies and ureteral stents in women with gynecologic cancer. Methods: In a retrospective study, 40 women underwent urinary diversion with percutaneous nephrostomy and ureteral stents. Nine had ureteral stenosis on initial presentation, 18 had persistent or recurrent cancer, nine had no evidence of disease, and four had operative ureteral damage. Of the nine who were without disease, seven had a urinary conduit. Results: Thirty-five patients had ureteral stenosis, which was bilateral in 24, and five had a ureteral fistula. Sixteen had a unilateral and 22 had bilateral percutaneous nephrostomies, with two cases having stents only. The most common complication was hematuria. Thirteen women were later hospitalized for pyelonephritis. Twenty-nine (72.5%) had ureteral stents, which were bilateral in 12. Renal function was abnormal in 26, but improved in 14 and returned to normal in six. Five fistulas were managed with ureteral stents alone and four were closed. The median time to death (N=22) was 5.5 months, 12 months in primary cases versus 5.5 months in recurrent cases. Twelve of the remaining 18 were alive without evidence of disease at a median of 38 months, five were alive with disease at a median of 16 months, and one was lost to follow-up. Conclusion: These techniques are safe and often improve renal function. The procedures have different roles in women with primary and recurrent gynecologic cancer, in those without evidence of recurrent disease, and in those with urinary conduits.

Laser vaporization of grade 3 vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia

tions on the fallopian tube, the ovary and exstirpation of the uterus can now be carried out through laparoscopy. We report the first time on hysterectomy by laparoscopy using the EndoGIATM30 (Auto-suture). After cutting the upper ligaments and the uterus vessels, the uterus was removed through the vagina. To avoid urologic complications, the distance between the ureter and the uterus was determined preoperatively by a combined sonographic-radiologic procedure. A laparoscopic hysterectomy should only be used in special situations. The advantages of this method compared to ‘classical’ hysterectomy are: less trauma, reduced intraoperative blood loss, the possibility of extending the spectrum of indications for vaginal hysterectomy and the rapid remobilisation of the patient with a shorter hospitahsation. No intraor post operative complications were observed in a patient treated with this procedure and all patients remained in the hospital for only 4 days after the operation.