Improvements in pelvic exenteration: factors responsible for reducing morbidity and mortality.
BACKGROUND
Since pelvic exenteration for the treatment of recurrent gynecologic malignancy first was described, reported rates of morbidity and mortality have declined steadily. However, the factors responsible for this decline have never been clearly delineated.


METHODS
We reviewed the charts of 154 patients who underwent pelvic exenteration for gynecologic malignancy between 1954 and 1994. Charts were abstracted for details of the surgical procedure, pathologic findings, postoperative management, short- and long-term complications, time to recurrence, and overall survival.


RESULTS
Seventy-two patients (47%) experienced 95 identifiable postoperative complications, resulting in death in 22 patients (14%). The rate of infectious complications declined to a statistically significant degree between the first two decades and latter two decades of the study (odds ratio [OR] 0.28. 95% CI 0.11-0.69). The use of routine prophylactic antibiotics was associated with this decline in infectious complications (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.07-0.83). The use of preoperative subcutaneous heparin was associated with a reduction in thrombotic complications from 5 of 100 patients to 0 of 54 patients (P = .11), as well as a significant reduction in overall risk of complications (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.33-0.85) and risk of postoperative mortality (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.05-0.80). There was a significant reduction in overall risk of postoperative complications with both intensive care unit monitoring postoperatively (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-0.99) and routine postoperative monitoring with a pulmonary artery catheter (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.38-0.98).


CONCLUSIONS
Routine use of prophylactic antibiotics, prophylactic subcutaneous heparin, and intensive postoperative monitoring appear to have reduced morbidity from pelvic exenteration.
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, USA.
J M
JM
Goldberg
M S
MS
Piver
R E
RE
Hempling
C
C
Aiduk
L
L
Blumenson
F O
FO
Recio
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000601:surgery*; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D010385:Pelvic Exenteration / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000592:standards; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D006493:Heparin