E322Cite as: Can Urol Assoc J 2013;7(5-6):e322-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.12096 Published online May 13, 2013 (early released September 10, 2012).
AbstractIntroduction: We identify lymphatic vessels draining from the bladder by using fluorescence navigation (FN) system. Methods: In total, 12 candidates for radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) were included in this study. After an indocyanine green (ICG) solution was injected into the bladder during radical cystectomy, lymphatic vessels draining from the bladder were analyzed using a FN system. PLND was based on the lymphatic mapping created from the FN measurements (in vivo probing) in the external iliac, obturator and internal iliac regions; after PLND, the fluorescence of the removed lymph nodes (LNs) was analyzed on the bench (ex vivo probing). Results: There were no patients with complications associated with the intravesical ICG injection. A lymphatic pathway along inferior vesical vessels to internal iliac LNs was clearly illustrated in 7 cases. Under in-vivo probing, the fluorescence intensity of internal iliac nodes was greater than that of external iliac or obturator nodes. Under ex-vivo probing, the fluorescence intensity of internal iliac and obturator nodes was greater than that of external iliac nodes. Conclusions: Using an FN system after injecting ICG during a radical cystectomy operation is a safe and rational approach to detecting the lymphatic channel draining from the bladder.
IntroductionThe sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the first lymph node (LN) through which cancer cells are detected from the primary site. The SLN concept is based on the hypothesis that secondary cancer cells are not found in LNs downstream from the first one receiving drainage from the primary tumour. The validity of this concept is well-established in breast and skin cancers, 1,2 and it has also been applied to penile cancer by Cabanas.3 Liedberg and colleagues reported the possibility of applying the SLN concept to bladder cancer using γ probe-guided SLN dissection, 4 but their approach combining preoperative lymphoscintigraphy with an intraoperative γ probe is complicated. Until now, two approaches have been used to identify SLNs: the dye-guided approach and the radioisotope-guided (RI-guided) approach. The dyeguided approach appears to be convenient and safe, but it sometimes cannot precisely detect SLNs deep in the pelvis, because the contrast of the target tissue is insufficient. The radioisotope-guided (RI-guided) approach can accurately determine the location of deep SLNs, but cannot identify minute lymphatic vessels.
5To identify the SLN and confirm the applicability of the SLN concept to bladder cancer, we need an anatomical understanding of the lymphatic network and flow around the bladder. The primary contributions to the knowledge of bladder lymphatics have come from European sources and were well-summarized by Leadbetter and Cooper. 6 Normal vesical lymphatics drain into the perivesical network, from which originate 6 groups of p...