[Celioscopic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy]

Because small volume lymph node metastases are difficult to recognize despite modern imaging techniques and since staging laparoscopy is costly and leads to important patient discomfort, pelvic then para-aortic lymph node endoscopic dissection has been introduced for staging gynaecological cancers. Since 1988, we have performed 110 pelvic and 17 para-aortic lymph node dissections using this technique. Pava-aortic endoscopic biopsy is indicated for advanced cancer of the cervix and subrenal biopsy for cancer of the ovary. Pelvic node dissection alone is useful in early stage cancers of the uterus and in cancers of the endometrium as well as in urological indications.