Ruxia Shi1, Weiwei Wei, Pengcheng Jiang. 1. Department of Gynecology, Changzhou No. 2 Hospital, Affiliated With Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, People's Republic of China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the histopathology of autonomic nerve removal within the cardinal ligaments (CLs), patients' postoperative urinary function, and the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (LNSRH) for treatment of early-stage cervical cancer. METHODS: Perioperative and postoperative parameters were compared between patients with biopsy-proven, early-stage cervical carcinoma treated with LNSRH (n = 64) versus those treated with laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH, n = 42) in a retrospective study. Nerves within CLs were identified by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Rates of the following complications were compared: bladder function, sexual dysfunction, and defecation problems. RESULTS: Duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss, duration of hospitalization, and morbidity did not differ significantly between the LNSRH and LRH groups. Patients who underwent LNSRH had a significantly earlier return of bladder and bowel functions, with an average time to achieve residual urine of 50 mL or less of 10.22 days and a mean first defecation time of 3.58 days. Nerves were observed mainly in the CLs of the LRH group. Disease-free survival rate did not differ between the LNSRH (90.6%) and LRH (88.1%) groups (P = 0.643). CONCLUSIONS: The LNSRH is a safe, feasible, and easy procedure for trained laparoscopic surgeons. Patients who underwent LNSRH had a more satisfactory quality of life than patients who underwent LRH.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the histopathology of autonomic nerve removal within the cardinal ligaments (CLs), patients' postoperative urinary function, and the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (LNSRH) for treatment of early-stage cervical cancer. METHODS: Perioperative and postoperative parameters were compared between patients with biopsy-proven, early-stage cervical carcinoma treated with LNSRH (n = 64) versus those treated with laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH, n = 42) in a retrospective study. Nerves within CLs were identified by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Rates of the following complications were compared: bladder function, sexual dysfunction, and defecation problems. RESULTS: Duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss, duration of hospitalization, and morbidity did not differ significantly between the LNSRH and LRH groups. Patients who underwent LNSRH had a significantly earlier return of bladder and bowel functions, with an average time to achieve residual urine of 50 mL or less of 10.22 days and a mean first defecation time of 3.58 days. Nerves were observed mainly in the CLs of the LRH group. Disease-free survival rate did not differ between the LNSRH (90.6%) and LRH (88.1%) groups (P = 0.643). CONCLUSIONS: The LNSRH is a safe, feasible, and easy procedure for trained laparoscopic surgeons. Patients who underwent LNSRH had a more satisfactory quality of life than patients who underwent LRH.