Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy with Pelvic/Aortic Lymph Node Dissection for Endometrial Cancer Using Passive Instrument Positioners: A Retrospective Case-Control Series.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of the use of passive instrument positioners (PIPs) on laparoscopic operative outcomes for endometrial cancer relative to other independent variables.

DESIGN: Retrospective case-controlled study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

SETTING: Laparoscopies performed by the author in multiple community hospitals.

PATIENTS: A total of 297 consecutive patients between December 2009 and October 2016 with clinically isolated endometrial cancer or retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy on imaging studies.

INTERVENTIONS: Total laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and pelvic/aortic lymph node dissection using passive instrument positioners to secure the laparoscope (PIP group) and using instruments providing exposure and historical control by hand control of all instruments (HC group).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The overall group mean age was 63.2 years (range, 32.4-90.9 years), and patient characteristics were equivalent in the 2 groups. In the PIP group, 1 procedure was converted to a laparotomy (0.5%), and in the HC group, 6 procedures were converted (5.4%; p = .008). The mean operative time was 140.1 minutes for the PIP group and 153.8 minutes for the HC group (p < .001). The mean length of hospital stay was 44.8 hours for the PIP group and 58.6 hours for the HC group (p < .001). Multivariate analysis confirmed that study group (PIP vs HC; p = .014) and the presence vs absence of metastatic disease (p = .001) influenced conversion; study group (PIP vs HC; p < .001), body mass index (p < .001), past surgical history (p = .010), and assistant training (p = .011) influenced operative time; and study group (PIP vs HC; p < .001), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (p < .001), and operative time (p = .051) influenced hospital stay.

CONCLUSION: For clinically localized endometrial cancer managed laparoscopically, the use of PIPs reduces conversions, operative time, and hospital stay.