Indications and techniques for robotic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in gynecologic oncology

Robotic-assisted laparoscopy is now the most common surgical method for treatment of early-stage endometrial, cervical, and a growing number of ovarian cancers in the U.S. Para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy is integral to surgical staging and subsequent treatment planning. This article reviews current staging outcomes with robotic surgery for gynecologic cancers, and describes both trans-peritoneal, extra-peritoneal aortic dissection techniques, and the integration of pelvic sentinel lymph node mapping.