Comparison of laparoscopic and conventional surgery in the treatment of early cervical cancer

Study Objective. To compare efficacy, results, and complications of laparoscopic-assisted radical hysterectomy (LARH) and pelvic lymphadenectomy with abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) and pelvic lymphadenectomy in management of early (stages 1a2, 1b) invasive cervical carcinoma. Design. Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification 11-2). Setting. University-affiliated hospital. Patients. Sixty women enrolled for radical hysterectomy as most appropriate primary treatment. Intervention. Radical hysterectomy performed by laparoscopy or laparotomy. Measurements and Main Results. Thirty patients each underwent LARH and ARH. The groups did not differ in terms of age, weight, disease stage, operating time, and hospital stay. Mean blood loss was 962 +/- 543 ml for ARH and 450 +/- 284 ml for LARH. No laparoscopic procedure was converted to laparotomy. There was no significant difference in intraoperative and postoperative complications. There was no significant difference in recurrence rates. Conclusion. LARH with pelvic lymphadenectomy does not increase recurrence rates and morbidity when performed by experienced endoscopists and oncologists.