Effective management of pelvic lymphocysts by laparoscopic marsupialization.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate laparoscopic transperitoneal marsupialization of pelvic lymphocysts at the time of laparoscopically directed assessment of response to first-line therapy in a population of patients treated for International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) stage IC-IIC epithelial ovarian cancer.


METHODS
Between March 1995 and March 1998, eight patients with FIGO stage IC-IIC serous epithelial ovarian tumors who developed pelvic lymphocysts after primary surgical staging underwent transperitoneal laparoscopically directed marsupialization of lymphocysts at the time of second-look laparoscopy.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patient population was 50 years (range 23-65 years). The mean length of time required for marsupialization was 30 minutes (range 25-35 minutes). No patient required inpatient postoperative care. No intraoperative complications were observed. Computerized axial tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis obtained 12 weeks following surgery failed to demonstrate re-accumulation of lymphocysts among any patient in the study population. With a median follow-up of 20 months (range 3-39 months), no patients have demonstrated pelvic lymphocyst recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopically directed marsupialization of pelvic lymphocysts is technically feasible, safe and effective. Further study of this technique appears to be warranted.
Recio
F O
FO
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, York Hospital, PA 17403, USA.
Ghamande
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S
Hempling
R E
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Piver
M S
MS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003560:Cysts / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000601:surgery; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome