Laparoscopic paraaortic node sampling in gynecologic oncology: a preliminary experience.

Because of the poor accuracy of nonsurgical methods in the detection of occult paraaortic lymph node metastasis, and because of the cost and discomfort of surgical staging, the feasibility of selective or elective paraaortic lymphadenectomy has been investigated in a preliminary series of four cases. Selective sampling of the lower paraaortic nodes in two cases of cervical carcinoma and of the infrarenal paraaortic nodes in two cases of early ovarian carcinomas were successfully completed by laparoscopy. The potential application of this new technique are discussed.