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Abstract
Introduction/Background The systematization of sentinel lymph node technique by a dedicated team implies an improvement in detection rates and a decrease in the acquisition of ’empty’ nodes. The number of procedures necessary to acquire this experience has been studied in several publications, demonstrating the importance of the surgeon’s experience to achieve good sensitivity of the technique. Cutoff points have been established between 10 and 40 procedures to reach a plateau.
The improvement in detection rates by abandoning research and validation protocols with sentinel lymph node and lymphadenectomy, and exclusively using sentinel lymph node technique by a dedicated team after a number of procedures exceeding 100–300, including aortic territory, has not been studied.
The objective of this study is to compare changes in detection rates after validation of the sentinel lymph node technique in a high number of procedures at our hospital.
Methodology Retrospective study comparing the rates of overall, aortic, pelvic, and bilateral pelvic detection of a prospective SLNB research cohort in EC in 332 patients, conducted between June 26, 2014, and December 31, 2020, with a validation cohort of 117 patients conducted between January 2021 and January 31, 2023.
Inclusion criteria Patients with pre-surgical early-stage EC undergoing surgical treatment for EC.
Exclusion criteria Age >85 years, frailty criteria, refusal of blood transfusion possibility, suspicion of advanced EC
Results What is achieved with the implementation of the sentinel lymph node etechnique is a higher detection rate than with the previous method. Overall, the detection of SLN was 98.8%, compared with 94% previously. Where a higher detection rate is achieved is in the bilateral pelvic SLN, aortic SLN and bilateral aortic + pelvic SLN.
Difference in detection rate comparing the old method VS the systematization of sentinel lymph node technique
Conclusion The systematization of sentinel lymph node technique by a dedicated team seems to imply an improvement in detection rates and a decrease in the acquisition of ’empty’ nodes.
Disclosures *