Lorna A. Brudie

Short- and long-term morbidity and outcomes after robotic surgery for comprehensive endometrial cancer staging.

OBJECTIVE Although intra-operative and immediate postoperative complications of robotic surgery are relatively low, little is known about long-term morbidity. We set out to assess both short- and long-term morbidities after robotic surgery for endometrial cancer staging. METHODS All patients who underwent robotic staging for EMCA between 2006 and 2009 from two institutions were identified. Patient charts were retrospectively reviewed for surgical complications and postoperative morbidities. RESULTS Five hundred three patients were identified. No differences in complication rates were found between 2006-2007 and 2008-2009, even though the median BMI increased from 29.9 (range 19-52) to 32 (range 17-70) (p=0.03). 6.4% of cases were converted to laparotomy. Median length of stay was one day (range 1-46). No cystotomies, two enterotomies, one ureteric injury, and five vessel injuries occurred (1.6% intra-operative complications). Thirty-eight (7.6%) patients developed major postoperative complications, 11 (2.2%) had wound infections, and 15 (3%) required a transfusion in the 30-day peri-operative period. The total venous thromboembolism (VTE) rate for robotic cases was 1.7%. Partial cuff dehiscence managed conservatively occurred in 5 (1%) and complete dehiscence requiring closure in 7 (1.4%) patients; Sixty-three (13.4%) patients who had robotic staging developed lymphedema, with 40 (8%) requiring physical therapy. CONCLUSIONS This study provides one of the largest cohorts of patients with robotic-assisted hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy (in 92.6%) with an assessment of morbidity. Our data demonstrates that robotic surgical staging can be safely performed with a low risk of short-term complications and lymphedema is the most frequent long-term morbidity.

Sentinel lymph node mapping with staging lymphadenectomy for patients with endometrial cancer increases the detection of metastasis

OBJECTIVES To compare the performance of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping with staging lymphadenectomy versus staging lymphadenectomy alone for the detection of metastasis and the use of adjuvant therapies in patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS All patients with apparent early-stage endometrial cancer (n=780) who underwent robotic-assisted hysterectomy with pelvic±aortic lymphadenectomy from July-2006 to June-2013 were compared [pelvic±aortic lymphadenectomy (n=661) versus SLN-mapped cases with pelvic±aortic lymphadenectomy (n=119)]. Isosulfan-blue and indocyanine-green with near-infrared imaging were used for SLN mapping. Clinico-pathological data, FIGO stage, GOG risk category, and adjuvant therapies were compared. RESULTS Non-mapped and mapped cases were comparable with respect to BMI, histology, depth-of-invasion, and lympho-vascular space invasion. The mapped group had more pelvic lymph node (LN) harvested compared to non-mapped group (26.4±10.5 vs. 18.8±8.5, p<0.001). Aortic LN yields were identical for both groups (9.0±5.6 vs. 9.0±6.0). The mapped group had more LN metastasis detected (30.3% vs. 14.7%, p<0.001), more stage IIIC (30.2% vs. 14.5%, p<0.001), more GOG high-risk cases (32.8% vs. 21.8%, p=0.013), and received more chemotherapy+radiation (28.6% vs. 16.3%, p<0.003). The SLN was the only metastasis in 18 (50%) mapped cases with positive nodes. The SLN false negative rate was 1/36 (2.8%). Micrometastases or isolated tumor cells were identified in 22/35 (62.9%) SLN metastases. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that SLN mapping imparted a significant effect on the detection of metastatic disease [adjusted OR=3.29, p<0.001]. CONCLUSIONS The performance of SLN mapping with staging lymphadenectomy increased the detection of lymph node metastasis and was associated with more use of adjuvant therapies.

Robotic-assisted resection of liver and diaphragm recurrent ovarian carcinoma: Description of technique

GOALS To describe port placement and operative technique for resection of right hepatic and full-thickness diaphragm metastatic ovarian carcinoma in a patient with recurrent disease using the da Vinci® Surgical System. CASE A 60-year-old female with recurrent platinum sensitive ovarian cancer presented with disease confined to the liver by PET-CT scan. The lesion measured 3.4 cm on the dome of the right hepatic lobe. After two attempts at intra-hepatic arterial chemo-embolization the lesion remained stable. She subsequently agreed to robotic-assisted resection of the right lobe liver mass after refusing laparotomy for 9 months. PROCEDURE Pnuemoperitoneum was established in the left upper quadrant by directly inserting a 5-mm laparoscope. There were no midline adhesions. The 12-mm camera port was placed in the midclavicular line on the right 10 cm off the costal margin with the right and left operative arms 10 cm from the camera near the costal margin, and the third arm in the right flank. The robot was docked from the right shoulder. Resection was accomplished with a monopolar spatula in the right, fenestrated bipolar grasper in the left, and double fenestrated grasper in the third operative arm. Adhesions between diaphragm and liver were separated, the liver lesion was excised, the diaphragm lesion was resected full thickness, and diaphragm was closed with running prolene. Surgicel® was placed on the liver for hemostasis. Console time was 82 min and the patient discharged on day-5 after drainage of a cytology negative pleural effusion day-4. CONCLUSIONS Robotic resection of liver and full-thickness diaphragm lesions is possible. The port placement used in this patient was efficient and without operative arm collisions. Patients with isolated upper-abdominal recurrence are candidates for robotic secondary cytoreduction.

Analysis of disease recurrence and survival for women with uterine malignancies undergoing robotic surgery

OBJECTIVES To evaluate recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) for patients who underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy (RALH) for uterine malignancies. METHODS Medical records from 372 patients with uterine malignancies who underwent RALH from 3/06 to 3/09 at two institutions were reviewed for clinico-pathologic data, adjuvant therapies, disease recurrence, and survival. Median follow-up for survival analysis was 31 ± 14 months. Thirty (8.1%) patients were lost to follow-up before 12 months and censored from the recurrence analysis. RESULTS Mean age and BMI of 372 patients was 61.8 ± 9.8 years and 32.2 ± 8.4 kg/m(2) (range 19-70). Robotic procedures included RALH 16 (4.3%), RALH with pelvic lymphadenectomy (PL) 96 (25.8%), and RALH with pelvic-and-aortic lymphadenectomy (PAL) 252 (67.7%) cases. Histology included 319 (85.8%) endometrioid and 53 (12.6%) high-risk histologies. Mean pelvic and aortic lymph node counts were 16.8 ± 8.7 and 8.4 ± 4.5, respectively. Lymph node metastases were identified in 26 (7.3%) cases. Adjuvant therapies were prescribed for 108 (29.1%) of patients: 7.8% brachytherapy, 1.9% pelvic radiation+brachytherapy, 7.8% chemotherapy, 11.6% chemotherapy+radiation. Risk of recurrence for all patients was 8.3% and 17 (4.6%) patients died of disease. The estimated 3-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) for the entire study group was 89.3% and the estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) was 89.1%, compared to 92.5% and 93.4% for the endometrioid sub-set. CONCLUSIONS Patients with endometrial cancer undergoing robotic hysterectomy with staging lymphadenectomies during our 3-years of robotic experience had low-risk for recurrence and excellent disease-specific survival at a median follow-up time of 31 months.

Malignant melanoma arising in a mature teratoma: A case report with review of the recent literature

Mature cystic teratomas constitute 10–20% of all ovarian neoplasms. Malignant transformation is very rare occurring in only 0.1–2% of mature teratoma cases. Malignant melanoma is among the least common transformations. Herein, we describe a case of young woman initially undergoing evaluation for infertility who was found to have malignant melanoma arising in a mature dermoid cyst. She subsequently underwent unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with staging procedure with benign pathology. There was no need for adjuvant therapy and the patient is without disease to date (nearly 10-months in follow-up now). We reviewed the existing literature and this is one of only a few cases documented in the last decade.

Serous carcinoma of endometrium in combination with neuroendocrine small-cell: A case report and literature review

Endometrial serous carcinomas are very clinically aggressive, which constitutes 40% of all deaths and recurrences associated with endometrial cancer. Small-cell carcinoma of the endometrium is relatively rare but aggressive, and often presents a component of endometrioid carcinoma, and is not generally associated with serous carcinoma. Herein, we report a case of 74-year-old African-American female, who presented with intermittent post-menopausal bleeding for > 1-month. She underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, sentinel lymph node mapping, and pelvic-and-aortic lymphadenectomy. Final pathology was consistent with serous carcinoma of the endometrium in combination with neuroendocrine small-cell carcinoma. This extremely rare combination of tumors presents a challenge for treatment. The mainstay of treatment seems to be surgery followed by chemotherapy ± radiation therapy. To our knowledge, it represents an under-reported area of gynecological medicine.