Femoral vessel coverage with dura mater after inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy

Twenty patients undergoing inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy for vulvar malignancy had the femoral vessels covered with freeze-dried human cadaver dura mater; 5 patients had a radical vulvectomy and 15 had a modified radical vulvectomy, and a total of 38 groins were explored. The dura mater was sutured to the inguinal ligament, sartorius muscle fascia, and adductor longus muscle fascia. Three of the thirty-eight wounds had wound breakdown uncovering the dura mater; each of the groins healed satisfactorily by secondary intention without exposing the femoral vessels. Three patients developed cellulitis without wound breakdown and three patients developed lymphocysts. All groin wounds have healed completely and there have been no delayed complications. The mean follow up was 12.5 months (range, 2-30 months). Coverage of the femoral vessels with dura mater after inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy appears to be a safe and effective alternative to the technically more difficult and more time-consuming sartorius muscle transplant.