The sealing effect of magnetic-sealing uterine manipulator in isolated uterus from patients with early-stage cervical cancer: a pre-clinical study

Objective: Traditional uterine manipulator is considered as the main reason for short survival of patients with early-stage cervical cancer during minimally invasive surgery. This study aims to assess the sealing effect of magnetic-sealing uterine manipulators (MUMs) in isolated uteruses.

Methods: The study was performed on isolated uterus from patients with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent open abdominal radical hysterectomy between November 2019 to April 2021. Right-angle forceps closure tests (groups 1 and 3) were defined as control tests. One experimental MUM closure test (group 2) and 2 control tests were respectively carried out in each of the isolated uterus. DNA ploidy analysis system was used to observe exfoliated cells. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test to assess the sealing effect of MUM.

Results: We identified 36 patients. No regional node metastasis was discovered and only one tumor was larger than 4.0 cm in diameter. The mean of exfoliated tumor cells in groups 1, 2, and 3 were 1, 1, and 2, respectively. There was no significant difference in the quantity of exfoliated cells between groups 1 and 3 (p=0.476), so the results of the 2 groups were merged. Subsequently, a significant difference was observed between combined right-angle forceps closure tests and MUM closure tests (p=0.022).

Conclusion: The sealing effect of MUM was better than that of right-angle forceps. MUM can effectively seal cervical cancer cells in the cup cover, avoiding the dissemination of tumor cells.

Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Register Identifier: ChiCTR1900026012.