title: A prospective randomized study comparing retroperitoneal drainage with no drainage and no peritonization following radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for invasive cervical cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the postoperative morbidity and lymphocyst formation in invasive cervical cancer patients undergoing radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHPL) with no drainage and no peritonization compared with retroperitoneal drainage and peritonization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 1999 and May 2000, 100 patients with stage IA-IIA cervical cancer undergoing RHPL in Chiang Mai University Hospital were prospectively randomized to receive either no peritonization and no drainage (Group A = 48 cases) or retroperitoneal drainage and peritonization (Group B = 52 cases). Perioperative data and morbidity were recorded. Transabdominal and transvaginal sonography were performed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively to detect lymphocyst formation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups were similar regarding age, size and gross appearance of tumor, tumor histology and stage. There was no difference between groups in respect of operative time, need for blood transfusion, intraoperative complications, hospital stay, number of nodes removed, nodal metastases, and need for adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy. Asymptomatic lymphocysts were sonographically detected at 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively in 3 (6.8%), 2 (4.6%), and 3 (7.7%) of 44, 43, and 39 patients, respectively in Group A, whereas none was found in Group B (P = 0.2). No significant difference was found in term of postoperative morbidity in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine retroperitoneal drainage and peritonization after RHPL for invasive cervical cancer can be safely omitted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. jsrisomb@mail.med.cmu.ac.th
authors.forename: Jatupol
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Srisomboon
authors.forename: Chailert
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Phongnarisorn
authors.forename: Prapaporn
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suprasert
authors.forename: Chalong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheewakriangkrai
authors.forename: Sitthicha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siriaree
authors.forename: Kittipat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Charoenkwan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*