Abdominal-wall tumor implantation after laparoscopy for malignant conditions

Objective: To determine the incidence of abdominal-wall tumor implantation after laparoscopic procedures in patients with known malignancies. Methods: We reviewed 557 laparoscopic procedures performed by the Gynecologic Oncology Service between November 1990 and February 1994. In 105 procedures, malignancy was documented cytologically or histologically, 88 with intraperitoneal disease and 17 with retroperitoneal disease. Ovarian cancer represented 80% (70 of 88) of the procedures with intraperitoneal malignancy, and the remaining cases consisted of carcinoma of the fallopian tube (two), endometrium (11), cervix (one), breast (three), and stomach (one). Histologically, ovarian carcinomas ranged from low malignant potential to poorly differentiated. Among 88 patients with intraperitoneal disease, 77 had gross disease and 11 had microscopic disease. Four hundred thirty-seven different abdominal-wall puncture sites were used (38 Veress needle sites and 399 laparoscopic ports). Results: One of the 437 (0.2%) abdominal-wall puncture sites developed implantation, a frequency of 1.0% (one in 105) per procedure; this developed after a second-look laparoscopic procedure for ovarian carcinoma in which only microscopic disease was present. If only intraperitoneal disease is considered, the incidence of implantation was 0.3% (one in 363) per abdominal puncture and 1.1% (one in 88) per procedure. Conclusion: Tumor implantation at the abdominal-wall puncture site is an infrequent occurrence after laparoscopy in patients with intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal carcinoma.