Thoraco-abdominal neuroblastoma resection: the thoracophrenolaparotomic (TPL) approach

Objective: The aim of the present study is to describe, for the first time in paediatric age, the technique and the outcomes of the thoracophrenolaparotomic (TPL) approach for surgical resection of thoraco-abdominal neuroblastomas (NBs) in children. Methods: A retrospective study was performed analysing clinical features and surgical outcomes of all children undergoing surgical resection of thoraco-abdominal NBs via the TPL approach in our third referral children’s hospital, from January 2010 to November 2018. The details of the surgical technique were also reported. Results: 5 children suffering from thoraco-abdominal NBs (n = 4 stage L2, n = 1 stage M—according to the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Staging System, INRGSS—and n = 4 stage 3, n = 1 stage 4—according to International Neuroblastoma Staging System, INSS) underwent the TPL approach at a mean age of 72 months (range 27–180 months). The surgical procedure was performed in a mean operative time of 5 h 57 min (range 2 h 56 min–9 h) without any major intraoperative or postoperative complications. Following 24 h in intensive care unit, all patients were safely discharged in a mean time of 12 days (range 4–21 days). All patients were alive, without any tumour relapse, at the last follow-up visit (mean 3.2 years, range 1–7 years). Conclusion: This is the first study reporting the excellent surgical results we gained applying the TPL approach for surgical excision of multi-compartment tumours in children, allowing a gross total resection without intra- or post-operative complications.