Hong Kong Med J 2008;14(Suppl 5):S43-6
Prevention of lymphoedema using omentoplasty after pelvic lymphadenectomy: a prospective randomised controlled trial
HYS Ngan, KF Tam, TY Ng
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1. In a randomised controlled trial involving 97 women undergoing pelvic lymphadenectomy, lower limb lymphoedema was detected using clinical and objective measurements in 11% of women.
2. In this study, omentoplasty, ie mobilising a pedicle of omentum to cover the pelvic raw area, did not decrease the occurrence of lower limb lymphoedema when compared to a control group in whom omentoplasty was not performed.
3. The lack of difference could be due to an inadequate sample size since only 5 to 7% of lymphoedema was found in our control group compared to the 40% reported in a pilot study on which the sample size calculation was based.
4. A larger study is required to confirm that omentoplasty does not prevent lymphoedema.
2. In this study, omentoplasty, ie mobilising a pedicle of omentum to cover the pelvic raw area, did not decrease the occurrence of lower limb lymphoedema when compared to a control group in whom omentoplasty was not performed.
3. The lack of difference could be due to an inadequate sample size since only 5 to 7% of lymphoedema was found in our control group compared to the 40% reported in a pilot study on which the sample size calculation was based.
4. A larger study is required to confirm that omentoplasty does not prevent lymphoedema.