What We Have Learned from Over 1400 Radical Hysterectomy Operations in Chiang Mai University Hospital

Abstract

Standard treatment for patients with stage
IA2-IIA cervical cancer is either radical surgery or
radiation therapy. Radical hysterectomy and pelvic
lymphadenectomy (RHPL) is a major gynecologic
operation requiring advanced surgical skills and
experience, and is carefully selected for patients who
are candidates for surgical treatment. During the
period 1997-2007, 1419 radical hysterectomy
operations have been carried out at the Department
of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chiang Mai University
Hospital (CMUH). The surgical techniques are
modified from the Tokyo method performed by
Professor Shoichi Sakamoto of Tokyo University who
came to Chiang Mai to demonstrate his surgical
techniques in 2000. Basically, there are 20 steps of
the RHPL operation which are systematic and simple
to teach the fellows and beginners in gynecologic
cancer operations(1).