title: Needleoscopic Conservative Staging of Borderline Ovarian Tumor.
abstract: To investigate the safety and technical feasibility of needleoscopic fertility-sparing staging of borderline ovarian tumors.
  
  
  
  Video article and review of the literature (Canadian Task Force classification Level III).
  
  
  
  This 29-year-old woman had a right ovarian cyst suspicious for borderline ovarian tumor on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound showing the presence of a right unilocular ovarian cyst with a papillary projection. Informed consent for abdominal or laparoscopic approach was obtained from the patient in accordance with the local legislation. The patient also provided informed consent to use images and videos of the procedure. Institutional Review Board approval was not required for this kind of procedure.
  
  
  
  Treatment involved conservative staging with right ovarian cystectomy, peritoneal biopsies, infracolic omental biopsy, and peritoneal cytology. Instrumentation included two 2.4-mm needleoscopic instruments. The total operative time was 62 minutes, and estimated blood loss was <10 mL. No intraoperative complications were recorded. At the end of the surgical procedure, the outer diameter of the incision was increased by only up to 3 mm. The patient was discharged the day after the procedure. Histopathological analysis confirmed a serous borderline ovarian tumor. A 30 days postoperative follow-up, a satisfactory cosmetic result was reported by both the patient (score of 10 of out of a possible 10) and the surgeon (10 of 10).
  
  
  
  To the best of our knowledge, there are no previously published reports of needleoscopic treatment of borderline ovarian tumor, which represents a great challenge for ultra-minimally invasive approaches [1-3]. Based on our initial experience, the needleoscopic instruments could prove to be a beneficial tool in adnexal benign or borderline disease. At present, only a hybrid operative setting should be considered to overcome the lack of bipolar energy [4-6]. Further studies are needed to define the benefits, advantages, and costs of this novel approach.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Policlinico Agostino Gemelli" Foundation, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: gueliallettis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gueli Alletti
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Policlinico Agostino Gemelli" Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossitto
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Policlinico Agostino Gemelli" Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cianci
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Blasis
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fagotti
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D061646:Operative Time; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010052:Ovariectomy
keywords: Borderline ovarian tumor; Minimally invasive; Needleoscopy; Percutaneous; Scarless