T. Dimpfl et al., LYMPHOCYSTS AND COMPLICATIONS AFTER PELVI C PARAAORTAL LYMPHADENECTOMY DEPENDING ON PERITONEAL CLOSURE, Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde, 54(4), 1994, pp. 233-236
From January 1988 to December 1991, 343 women were operated for genita
l carcinoma at the 1st Gynaecological Department of the University Mun
ich. Additionally to the corresponding cancer operations, pelvic or pe
lvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy was performed. In a postoperative
systematic and prospective study with ultrasound, we detected a high i
ncidence of 48% of postoperative lymphocysts. Only a few were symptoma
tic and even less required therapy. In this study we were especially i
nterested in the influence of closure of the pelvic peritoneum on the
incidence of lymphocysts. Thus, we inaugurated a prospective study in
1991 with 49 patients with an open peritoneum and compared these resul
ts to 294 women who had standard closure of the peritoneum. There was
a significantly higher rate of lymphocysts in patients with peritoneal
closure (45,2%) in comparison to 20.4% lymphocysts in patients withou
t peritoneal closure. In the study group (open peritoneum) 6.1% of the
patients with lymphocysts showed symptoms, only 4.1% needed therapy.
In the control group (closed peritoneum), 14.6% of the patients with l
ymphocysts were symptomatic and 8.2% needed therapy. These differences
are not statistically significant. Other complications such as haemor
rhage, fever or ileus were comparable in both groups. Our results do n
ot supply sufficient proof, that leaving the peritoneum open significa
ntly reduces symptomatic lymphocysts.