Extraperitoneal endoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection.

Laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy has been found to be efficacious in the staging of genitourinary cancers. Technological advances in endoscopic instrumentation have allowed an extraperitoneal approach to be performed. Presented are two patients who underwent an extraperitoneal endoscopic lymph node dissection as a staging procedure for prostatic carcinoma. Technical aspects of the procedure and advantages relative to the laparoscopic intraperitoneal approach are discussed.