Early postoperative visits improve outcomes in inguinal lymph node dissection for penile cancer

Abstract

ObjectivesTo analyse postoperative outcomes after inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND) at a high‐volume North American centre for penile cancer with respect to early postoperative clinic visits facilitated by virtual telemedicine.MethodsData were retrospectively collected on patients undergoing ILND performed by a single surgeon between August 2006 and April 2024. The sample population was divided into two groups differentiated by early postoperative follow‐up and compared to the previously standardised surgical follow‐up pathway. The primary objective was to evaluate differences between the groups in postoperative complication rates and hospital readmissions/emergency department visit rates.ResultsThe early follow‐up cohort (Coho showed a statistically significant reduction in overall 30‐day Clavien–Dindo scores in univariate analysis (P = 0.026) and multivariate ordinal regression (P = 0.032, odds ratio = 0.41). The early follow‐up cohort further showed a statistically significant reduction in postoperative hospital readmission/emergency department visits in univariate analysis (P = 0.0382), however, logistic regression analysis controlling for age, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and complexity of ILND showed a statistically insignificant association. The study had the inherent limitations of retrospective data collection, with incomplete data on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (3%), body mass index (10.5%) and preoperative albumin level (34%), which are important variables in regression analyses.ConclusionsOur data showed a statistically significant reduction in postoperative Clavien–Dindo scores within the early follow‐up group. Telemedicine can easily facilitate an early check‐in point for patients undergoing a surgery that is associated with high morbidity.