Round Table: “Comparison between laparoscopy-surgery in pelvic lymphadenectomy” - Introduction

Abstract

Pelvic lymphadenectomy is a staging procedure for most urologists. It is therefore limited to the lymph nodes that can be approached in the easiest and least dangerous way. The dissection generally removes the lymph nodes situated below the bifurcation of the common iliac arteries; lymphatic drainage from bladder and prostate is also directed to pre-sacral nodes. As the main aim of lymphadenectomy is staging with minimal discomfort for the patient, the laparoscopic technique is clearly the most well-suited for this purpose. In the round table we will discuss the main features of “open” and laparoscopic lymph node dissection.