Utility of indocyanine green (ICG) intra-operative angiography to determine uterine vascular perfusion at the time of radical trachelectomy

Objectives The aim of our study was to measure and analyze uterine perfusion utilizing laser angiography with ICG during uterine artery sparing and non-sparing radical trachelectomy. Methods Data were collected from all patients diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer that underwent laser angiography with ICG during open or laparoscopic radical trachelectomy from June 2012 to December 2015. Regression analysis was use to determine the p values and R-squares on fluorescence, surgical time, hospital stay, age and BMI; a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 20 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Ten patients underwent uterine artery-sparing surgery, and ten patients underwent uterine artery non-sparing surgery. The most frequent stage for the entire cohort was IA2 (55%), and the most common histologic subtype was squamous cell carcinoma (49%). Lymph-vascular invasion was noted in 30% of the patients. There was no statistical significance difference in the mean ICG fundal fluorescence intensity between the uterine artery-sparing group 162.5 (range, 137–188) and the uterine artery non-sparing group 160.5 (range, 135–186), p = 0.22. In both groups, 100% of the patients regained their menstrual function by postoperative week 8. A total of 4 (40%) pregnancies have occurred in the uterine artery-sparing group and 3 (30%) in the non-uterine artery-sparing group. Conclusions Based on our real-time intraoperative angiography observations, there is no need to preserve the uterine artery during radical trachelectomy to maintain uterine viability.