[Radical trachelectomy as a fertility-preserving option--operative methods, outcomes and fertility rates]

Radical trachelectomy is a relatively new procedure, performed in early stage cervical cancer in young women who choose to preserve their fertility. Two different techniques have been described in the past few years, vaginal and abdominal radical trachelectomy. This review aims to describe and compare the two procedures with regard to: surgical technique, complications, patient survival and fertility. A Medline search was performed, using radical trachelectomy and cervical cancer as the keywords. We included only large series published in the English literature. Case reports were excluded. We believe that since the oncologic outcome is not altered as compared with the traditional approach, this new surgical treatment (radical trachelectomy) for early cervical cancer in young patients desiring to preserve their fertility, should be considered in relevant patients.