Laparoendoscopic single-site inguinal lymphadenectomy in gynecology: preliminary experience at a single institution

Purpose Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS), a promising innovation in minimally invasive surgery, has been used in treating gynecologic oncology diseases. There have been no reports in the literature regarding LESS for inguinal lymphadenectomy (LESS-IL) in gynecologic conditions. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and outcomes of LESS-IL. Methods Six patients with vulvar or vaginal cancer underwent LESS-IL from July 2018 to March 2019. Data regarding the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Results All patients successfully underwent a bilateral LESS-IL without conversion. LESS pelvic lymphadenectomy via an umbilical incision was also performed in a patient with vaginal cancer. The median operation time for the single-port laparoendoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomies was 105 min (range 70–134), with a median estimated blood loss of 108 ml (range 40–170). Median time of hospitalization was 7.5 days (range 5–10). A median of 11 (6–15) lymph nodes were dissected in a unilateral groin. The suction drains were removed after a median duration of 5 days (range 3–7). There were no skin-related or lymph-related postoperative complications. At a median follow-up period of 9 months, all the patients were alive and no recurrence was found. Conclusion LESS-IL is a feasible and safe technique for the surgical management of gynecologic cancers.