Early experience of robotic-assisted laparoscopy for extraperitoneal para-aortic lymphadenectomy up to the left renal vein.
OBJECTIVE
To describe our early experience with robotic-assisted laparoscopy for extraperitoneal para-aortic lymphadenectomy up to the left renal vein, including Da Vinci robot positioning.


METHODS
Six patients underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopy using the Da Vinci apparatus. The patients included a man with a pT2 non-seminomatous germ cell tumour of the left testicle treated by chemotherapy with an incomplete response (mature teratoma), four women with locally advanced cervical cancer, and one case of bulky cancer of the vaginal cuff. The procedure was carried out using four port sites: one for the camera, one each for the no. 1 and no. 3 arms of the Da Vinci robot system, and one for the assistant.


CONCLUSIONS
Robotic-assisted lymphadenectomy carried out using the Da Vinci system was safe and effective with a short learning period for an experienced oncological team. A larger prospective study is now required to evaluate this procedure further.
Narducci
F
F
Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer Oscar Lambre, Département de Cancérologie Gynécologique, 3 rue Frédéric Combemale, BP307, 59020 Lille cedex, France. Electronic address: f-narducci@o-lambret.fr.
Lambaudie
E
E
Institut Paoli Calmettes, Département de Chirurgie Générale et Oncologique, 232 bld Sainte Marguerite, BP 156, 13273 Marseille Cédex 9, France.
Houvenaeghel
G
G
Institut Paoli Calmettes, Département de Chirurgie Générale et Oncologique, 232 bld Sainte Marguerite, BP 156, 13273 Marseille Cédex 9, France.
Collinet
P
P
Clinique de Gynécologie, Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, CHRU Lille, 59037 Lille Cedex, France.
Leblanc
E
E
Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer Oscar Lambre, Département de Cancérologie Gynécologique, 3 rue Frédéric Combemale, BP307, 59020 Lille cedex, France.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012082:Renal Veins / Q000601:surgery; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*