Clinical Impact of a Surgical Energy Device in Advanced Ovarian Cancer Surgery Including Bowel Resection

AIM: To evaluate the clinical impact of the use of the Caiman® articulating energy device in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) including rectosigmoid resection [e.g. modified posterior exenteration (MPE)]. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective single-institution observational study with women undergoing MPE where all soft-tissue dissections and vessel ligations were performed using the Caiman® device. Intraoperative and postoperative surgical data were collected. Bladder function after nerve-sparing surgery was analyzed before and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: Forty patients were registered in the study. The median time for specimen removal using Caiman® was 86 min (range=70-120 min). Major vessel ligation was successful in all patients with a median of a single (range=1-4) Caiman® application to seal major vessels. No intraoperative or postoperative complications or bladder dysfunctions associated with the use of Caiman® were noted. CONCLUSION: Caiman® can be safely used in AOC surgery and may save time through faster dissection. However, comparative studies with other energy devices are needed to confirm this finding.