We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 January 2010
Vulvectomy is performed for both preinvasive and malignant conditions of the vulva. This procedure may vary in extent from a skinning procedure performed for multicentric intraepithelial neoplasia to a radical vulvectomy combined with bilateral inguinofemoral lymph node dissections for invasive carcinoma. The radical procedure has changed during the past decade and may range from hemivulvectomy with unilateral inguinofemoral lymph node dissection to an en bloc resection including bilateral inguinofemoral lymph nodes. Lateralizing stage T1 lesions smaller than 2 cm are treated with a radical hemivulvectomy and ipsilateral lymph nodes dissection. For larger or midline lesions, attempts are made to perform a radical vulvectomy and bilateral inguinofemoral lymph node dissections through separate incisions (three incision technique). This generally results in fewer postoperative complications (e.g., wound infection) and a shorter hospital stay. Depending on the extent of resection, myocutaneous flaps may be needed to fill the operative defect. The time necessary for this operation is 2 to 5 hours and varies according to the extent of resection and reconstruction. General, regional, or combination anesthesia can be equally efficacious. Intraoperative transfusions are not routinely required during radical vulvectomy.
Usual postoperative course
Expected postoperative hospital stay
The duration of hospitalization ranges from 4 to 21 days, depending on the extent of resection, the required reconstruction, and the rate of wound healing.
Operative mortality
Under 1%.
Special monitoring required
Patients undergoing radical vulvectomy do not require specific monitoring.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
