From open radical hysterectomy to robot-assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomy for early stage cervical cancer: aspects of a single institution learning curve.

We analysed the introduction of the robot-assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer with respect to patient benefits and surgeon-related aspects of a surgical learning curve. A retrospective review of the first 14 robot-assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomies and the last 14 open radical hysterectomies in a similar clinical setting with the same surgical team was conducted. Patients were candidates for a laparoscopic sentinel node procedure, pelvic lymph node dissection and open radical hysterectomy (RH) before August 2006 and were candidates for a laparoscopic sentinel node procedure, pelvic lymph node dissection and robot-assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (RALRH) after August 2006. Overall, blood loss in the open cases was significantly more compared with the robot cases. Median hospital stay after RALRH was 5 days less than after RH. The median theatre time in the learning period for the robot procedure was reduced from 9 h to less that 4 h and compared well to the 3 h and 45 min for an open procedure. Three complications occurred in the open group and one in the robot group. RALRH is feasible and of benefit to the patient with early stage cervical cancer by a reduction of blood loss and reduced hospital stay. Introduction of this new technique requires a learning curve of less than 15 cases that will reduce the operating time to a level comparable to open surgery.

[Two women with a chronic process in the lower abdomen]. / Twee patiëntes met een chronisch proces in de onderbuik.

Two women, aged 50 and 45 years, had a chronic process in the lower abdomen. The first presented with cough and progressive dyspnoea, and her chest X-ray raised the suspicion of a metastasis of a malignancy. The second patient had abdominal pain, frequent urination and irregular vaginal bleeding. She was initially treated for a urinary-tract infection. Diagnostic investigations showed pelvic actinomycosis in both patients. Both had used an intrauterine device (IUD). In the first patient a pelvic abscess was drained. Antimicrobial treatment consisted of penicillin i.v. for several weeks and orally for 6 months. Actinomycosis is a slowly progressive bacterial infection that characteristically expands through anatomic structures and can lead to fistulae and abscesses. The disease is caused by Actinomyces species. Diagnosis is often delayed because other diseases (e.g. malignancy) are considered more probable. Actinomycosis is associated with prolonged use of an IUD, but it is rare and removal of the IUD is not indicated unless symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease are present. The mainstay of actinomycosis therapy is administration of an effective antibiotic (e.g. penicillin). Except for drainage of abscesses, surgical intervention is rarely necessary. When antimicrobial therapy is continued for 6-9 months, prognosis is favourable, as was the case in both patients.