title: Frequency of lymphoceles after open and laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection in patients with prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the frequencies of pelvic lymphocele formation after laparoscopic and open pelvic lymph node dissection in patients with prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 132 patients operated on with pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) underwent CT scanning of the abdomen and pelvis at a median of 29 days postoperatively. Open pelvic lymph node dissection (OPLND) was performed in 94 patients (71%) and 38 patients (29%) were operated on using a laparoscopic technique (LPLND). The frequency and size of pelvic lymphoceles were registered. Lymphoceles with a horizontal diameter of </=4.9 cm were classified as small and those with a horizontal diameter of >/=5.0 cm were classified as large.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall frequency of lymphoceles was 54%. The frequencies in the OPLND and LPLND groups were 61% and 37%, respectively. A total of 27% of the OPLND patients had large lymphoceles, compared to 8% of the LPLND patients. Three patients (2.3%), all in the OPLND group, had clinically significant lymphoceles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the overall frequency of lymphocele formation was high, clinically significant lymphoceles were scarce. LPLND was associated with a statistically significant lower frequency of lymphocele formation compared to OPLND.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Hospital Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solberg
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angelsen
authors.forename: Unni
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bergan
authors.forename: Olav A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Haugen
authors.forename: Trond
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Viset
authors.forename: Olbjørn
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Klepp
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008210:Lymphocele / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011336:Probability; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome