Lymphadenectomy is the surgical removal of the lymph nodes. In women with endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, or ovarian cancer, lymph nodes in the pelvis or abdomen are removed. Whereas, in those women with vulvar cancer, we remove the lymph nodes in the groin.

Currently, this surgical procedure is performed by laparoscopic or mini-invasive robotic surgery in almost all patients who have an indication for a lymphadenectomy with gynecological cancer.

Where are the lymph nodes?

Lymph nodes are small rounded structures of a few millimeters located on the main arteries and veins of our body and that are also surrounded by fatty tissue. For this reason, these surgeries must be performed with great caution so as not to damage arteries and veins as well as nerves and different organs.

The fatty tissue is where the lymph nodes are located, and as you might imagine, it is not possible to know exactly how many nodes have been removed until pathologists separate them from the fatty tissue that surrounds them.
In addition, after this, they analyze it one by one to find out if each of these nodes has a tumor disease. It is estimated that each person has approximately 10 nodes in the pelvic region and about 15 nodes in the abdominal region.
But it is true that this number of lymph nodes can vary from person to person. On the other hand, to remove the lymph nodes from the abdominal area, we also make small incisions of a few millimeters, but on the left side of the abdomen. Through there we access the abdominal region where the main arteries and veins of our body are located, that is, the aorta artery and the vena cava. Around these blood vessels is where the lymph nodes of this abdominal region are located.
In short, today we can perform this lymphadenectomy by minimally invasive laparoscopic or robotic surgery in almost all women with gynecological cancer who have an indication for performing this type of procedure.
As you have seen, they are extremely precise procedures, so it is important that you go to professionals who have the proper preparation and training in performing this type of surgery. This will allow us to know more precisely what the real extent of the disease is in each of our patients and will help us decide on the best therapeutic strategy if it is necessary after surgery, to guarantee the best possible oncological results in each of our patients.