Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping and Biopsy for Endometrial Cancer at Early Stage with Laparoscopy
Published on: August 19, 2021
Robot-assisted Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping and Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection Using Near-infrared Fluorescence in
Arwa Mohammad1, Mark I Hunter2
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO (all authors).
Abstract:
The surgical treatment of vulvar cancer has undergone many changes over the last century. The morbidity of open inguinal incisions prompts the search for a minimally invasive approach to lymph node dissection. This study reports the outcomes of 4 patients with vulvar cancer undergoing robotic sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping and lymph node (LN) dissection with near-infrared fluorescence. From 2015 to 2017, 3 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva underwent robot-assisted SLN mapping and inguinal LN dissection. One patient with a vulvar melanoma had robotic bilateral SLN mapping only. The da Vinci Xi System with Firefly technology (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA) and indocyanine green radiotracer was used in all cases. Eight groins underwent robot-assisted SLN mapping, 6 of which underwent inguinal LN dissection. The average operating time was 234 minutes with vulvectomy. The mean blood loss was 124 mL. The operative time decreased, and the lymph node yield increased with each case. There were no wound separations or long-term negative outcomes, such as persistent lymphedema or recurrence. This case series of robot-assisted SLN mapping and inguinal lymph node dissection shows the safety and feasibility of this new technique in vulvar cancer. It may be a valid approach to reduce short- and long-term morbidity.
Related Concept Videos
Detailed Structure and Function of Lymph Nodes
From a histological perspective, lymph nodes can be split into two main areas: the superficial cortex and the deep medulla. The outer cortex is populated by dendritic cells, macrophages, and B lymphocytes, which are densely packed into follicles. When these B-lymphocytes are presented...
Node Analysis for AC Circuits
To unravel the complexities of this system, nodal analysis is employed, a powerful technique founded on Kirchhoff's current law (KCL), which remains valid for phasors. AC circuits can effectively be...
Lymphatic Vessels and Lymph Transport
This one-way system allows fluids, solutes, and even pathogens to enter but prevents their return to the intercellular...
Fluid Connective Tissues: Blood and Lymph
Blood
The blood flows through blood vessels— arteries, capillaries, and veins. Blood plasma is primarily made of proteins, solutes, and...
Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy: Overview
Different compounds display unique properties due to their...
Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs)

