Purpose and Objectives The present prospective non-randomized observational study was designed to analyse the learning curve for robotic-assisted pelvic and high paraaortic lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer patients. Materials and Methods Between 2011 and 2013, 131 consecutive endometrial cancer patients underwent type-1 extrafascial pan hysterectomy with pelvic and high paraaortic lymphadenectomy using the daVinci Ò robotic surgical procedures at single quaternary care Indian cancer institution. For lymph nodes retrieval data, the point at which as per AJCC-TNM staging, time taken to reach, recommended minimum number of lymph nodes at each segment of pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy was plotted and analysed. Data were analysed for the number of lymph nodes retrieved in pelvic and high para-aortic lymphadenectomy specimen. The surgery was performed by the same surgeon in all cases. Results Target number of pelvic lymph nodes 12 was achieved by ninth case, and consistently, more number of pelvic nodes were removed. Target number of para-aortic lymph nodes 10 was achieved at eighteenth case. Conclusion In our study, adequate number of pelvic lymph nodes retrieval of 12 was achieved by ninth case, and consistently, more number of pelvic nodes were removed and para-aortic lymph nodes retrieval of 10 was after eighteenth case. Our study confirms the proficiency and efficiency of robotic surgical approach in treatment of endometrial cancer, with adequate lymph node retrieval, and offers a safe and useful alternative to conventional surgical techniques with shorter learning curve.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.