Endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy for vulvar cancer, is it feasible?

Purpose of review: The evaluation of lymph node status is crucial for the correct staging of patients with vulvar carcinoma and to assess whether adjuvant treatment is necessary. Classically, this procedure is performed with an open approach to the inguinal region; however, this procedure is associated with a significant complication rate.For this reason, the video-endoscopic approach to inguinal lymph node assessment has been proposed in recent years. This review aimed to provide an overview on the feasibility and outcomes of the video-endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy (VEIL).

Recent findings: VEIL appeared to be a viable alternative to the open approach, with similar outcomes in terms of the number of lymph nodes removed and blood loss. While the postoperative complications rate was lower in the VEIL group, operative times tended to be longer. This may be due to the lack of standardization of the technique and to the variability in video-endoscopic approaches (laparoscopic vs robotic). Sentinel lymph node biopsy with endoscopic approach has also been described.

Summary: VEIL appears to be feasible and safe, adding benefits in terms of postoperative complications. Nevertheless, few studies are available and further data is needed to confirm these findings.