title: Initial experience with Dargent's operation: the radical vaginal trachelectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on our initial experience with radical vaginal trachelectomy for patients with early-stage cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on patients undergoing radical vaginal trachelectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy from 11/01 to 12/06 were collected in a prospective database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-three women with early-stage cervical cancer were operated on with the intent of fertility preservation with radical vaginal trachelectomy. Median age was 31 years (range, 20-40 years). FIGO stage for the group was: IB1, 28; IA2, 7; IA1 with lymphovascular invasion, 8. Histologic type included: squamous, 24; adenocarcinoma, 16; adenosquamous, 3. Parity for the group was: nullipara, 35; one child, 7; two children, 1. Median BMI was 24 kg/m2 (range, 19-42 kg/m2). Two patients (5%) underwent completion hysterectomy due to extensive endocervical disease. The median OR time was 330 min (range, 220-480 min). Median pelvic lymph node count was 25 (range, 9-52). Median hospital stay was 3 days (range, 3-7 days). Four patients (9%) required a second intervention for a perioperative complication. Five patients (12%) underwent adjuvant chemoradiation for pathologic risk factors determined on final pathology. Eleven (79%) of 14 women who were trying to get pregnant were able to conceive. Four (36%) required assisted reproductive techniques to conceive. Four patients delivered by cesarean section after 35 weeks and four patients are currently pregnant. With a median follow-up of 21 months in patients treated with trachelectomy alone, we have had one recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radical vaginal trachelectomy can be incorporated into gynecologic oncology practices and appears to be a reasonable option for patients with early cervical cancer who desire to maintain their fertility. It should be discussed with candidate patients during preoperative consultation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gynecology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. gynbreast@mskcc.org
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Barakat
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Abu-Rustum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*