Abstract:Objective:To investigate the role of complete endoscopic axillary lymphadenectomy in axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in early breast cancer patients.
Methods :A total of 21 patients with breast cancer underwent mastectomy and complete endoscopic axillary lymph node dissection (E-ALND) with liposuction in recent 2 years. All available data relating to endoscopic axillary surgery were compared with traditional ALND.
Results:No E-ALND had to be converted into open procedures. Compared with traditional ALND, there was no obvious difference in the number of lymph nodes removed ［（18.26±4.62) vs. (17.15±3.83）］, but the operating time was remarkably longer ［（82.21±28.12)min vs. (138.42±36.06) min］. the drainage time shorter ［（10.1±3.2) d vs. (6.8±2.8) d］, and operative blood loss lower ［（192.16±60.27)mL vs. (115.31±32.18)mL］. After three months follow-up, the occurrence of upper arm numbness in E-ALND group was notably lower than that in traditional ALND group (32.2% vs. 4.78%),but the pain and edema of are were no significant difference between the 2 groups (P>0.05). In E-ALND group there were epidermic blisters in 2 cases, chest wall cellulitis in 1 case, and axillary seromas in 2 cases after operation. No port-site metastasis occurred during follow-up with a median of 8.9 (2-21) months.
Conclusions:Endoscopic liposuction can be safely and feasibly applied for complete axillary lymph nodes dissection (ALND) because it is associated with acceptable minimal skin incision, less complications in the upper limb, while offering a better cosmetic result to the patients in comparison with the traditional ALND, and it represents an attractive alternative for ALND.