Characteristics of gynecologic oncology patients in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital - complications and outcome of pelvic exenteration.

Background: Pelvic exenteration is a procedure which includes enbloc resection of pelvic organs followed by surgical reconstruction. Aims include both cure and palliation but data for pelvic exenteration in Thailand are very limited.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate characteristics of patients, operative procedure outcomes and complications.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective review covered all of the charts of exenteration patients during January 2002 to December 2011. Baseline characteristic of the patients were collected as well as details of clinical results.

Results: A total of 13 cases of pelvic exenteration were included. Most underwent total pelvic exenteration (9 cases) and the remainder posterior and anterior exenteration. Their primary cancers were ovarian, cervical and vulva. Mean operative time was 532 minutes (SD 160.2, range 270- 750) and estimated blood loss was 2830 ml (1850, 1000-8000). Mean tumor size was 7.33 cm (3.75, 4-15). Mean hospital stay was 35.2 days (29.8, 13-109). The most common post operative complication was urinary tract infection. Overall disease free survival with a negative surgical margin was significantly better than in positive surgical margin patients (p=0.014).

Conclusions: Surgical margin was the most significant prognostic factor for disease free survival, in line with earlier studies.