Surgical treatment

• Diagnostic minimally invasive (laparoscopic) operations where the probability of malignancy is low
• Open operations (midline incision) where the probability of malignancy is high or in the case of recurrence, aiming for maximal tumour resection, where necessary in cooperation with our surgical colleagues (multivisceral debulking operations) .

Whenever possible, minimally invasive diagnostic assessment of the pelvic lymph nodes and the lymph nodes alongside the aorta. For this purpose, in line with guidelines and where the relevant criteria are met, we use the so-called sentinel technique (sentinel lymph node technique) to ensure the gentlest possible procedure for you. Should the lymph node removal be followed by a radical hysterectomy, we perform this via an abdominal incision on the basis of current study data.
The sentinel lymph node is marked during surgery with a special dye – ICG = indocyanine green – which can be detected with an infrared camera.

In the surgical treatment of endometrial cancer, we generally remove the sentinel lymph nodes in the lesser pelvis alongside the minimally invasive removal of the uterus and ovaries/fallopian tubes. The sentinel lymph node is marked intraoperatively with a special dye – ICG = indocyanine green – which can be detected with an infrared camera.

In this case too, if the relevant criteria are met, we use the sentinel lymph node concept. In vulvar cancer, the marking is carried out by our nuclear medicine department. If necessary, the operation is performed with plastic reconstruction using the patient’s own tissue by means of so-called flap reconstruction.