V6-01: Midline Extraperitoneal RPLND in Testis Cancer: Minimizing Surgical Morbidity

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INTRODUCTION

Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) is an important component of the management of testicular germ cell tumor (GCT) but its surgical morbidity is not insignificant. Herein we describe our updated experience with a midline extraperitoneal (EP) approach to RPLND for seminomatous and non-seminomatous GCT.

METHODS

Between 2010 and 2015, from a prospectively collected IRB approved database, 122 consecutive patients underwent RPLND. Patients requiring aortic resection, retrocrural dissection or access to intraperitoneal disease were excluded. The remaining 69 patients underwent midline EP-RPLND. All post-chemotherapy (PC) cases underwent bilateral template dissection; all primary cases underwent extended ipsilateral templates. Perioperative and long-term outcomes were analyzed and a descriptive analysis using SAS was performed.

RESULTS

68 patients underwent midline EP-RPLND successfully (98.6%). Median age was 28 years (range=17-55). Median follow up was 15.3 months (IQR: 5.7-24.3). On pre-operative imaging the size of retroperitoneal mass or lymphadenopathy was 5 cm in 24 patients, of which 19 were >10cm. 3 patients underwent cavectomy. Median EBL was 325 mL (IQR: 200-612.5). Median number of lymph nodes (LN) resected was 36 (IQR: 24.5-49); median number of positive nodes was 1 (IQR: 0-4). Median return of bowel function was 2 days (1-3) and LOS was 3 days (2-4). There were no cases of ileus. 13 patients (19.1%) had complications within 90-days: 12 were Clavien grade 2 (17.6%), there was 1 grade 3b complication (1.5%). Antegrade ejaculation rates were 91.6% in the primary group and 96.8% in the PC group.

CONCLUSION

Midline EP-RPLND can be performed safely without compromising completeness of resection. This approach is associated with a faster return of bowel function, lower rates of ileus and shorter LOS.

Funding: none