Unilateral or bilateral nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy: a surgical technique to preserve the pelvic autonomic nerves while increasing radicality

We performed unilateral or bilateral nerve-sparing (UNS or BNS) radical hysterectomies combined with a parametrial excision in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. The parametrial excision technique is characterized by a meticulous sharp dissection of the avascular plane outside the visceral fascia of the uterus and vagina under direct vision, providing an en bloc parametria and ensuring that all regional spread of the disease is contained within negative surgical margins. The aim of this study was to describe this surgical technique and to retrospectively evaluate the feasibility and the impact on early bladder function. From February 2005 to November 2006, 32 patients with FIGO stage IB-IIB cervical cancer, who had the tumor of more than 20 mm in diameter, underwent the UNS surgery or BNS surgery. A parametrial excision was performed in all the patients. The surgical procedure was safely completed in all the patients. Though 14 patients had tumor invasion to the parametria, none of the patients had a positive surgical margin in the parametrium. The bladder function of patients in the UNS group immediately after surgery was more damaged than that in the BNS group. However, all the patients in both groups recovered spontaneous voiding with no need of self-catheterization during the perioperative periods. This preliminary study showed that the surgical technique is feasible and safe. For confirmation of the efficacy of this technique, further large prospective studies are needed.