Laparoscopic Dissection of Lymph Node Station 16—Why and How?

Dissection of para-aortic lymph nodes (Station 16) provides an important prognosticator for patients with gastrointestinal, colorectal, and hepatobiliary cancers.^1–4 For example, a positive Station 16 lymph node has been shown to lead to 2-year survival of 3% in patients with pancreas adenocarcinoma, akin to stage IV disease.^5,6 Thereby, Station 16 involvement can help with the risk/benefit stratification of the decision to move forward with radical surgery.^7–9 Furthermore, it has been shown for gallbladder cancer that involvement of Station 16 cannot necessarily be predicted from the dissection of the hepatoduodenal ligament lymph nodes only.^10,11

With the patient in the French position, a complete Kocherization and a Cattel-Braasch maneuver is performed, allowing for visualization of LN station 16b. Station 16b is the inferior border of the station 16 compartment. The left renal vein (LRV) serves as an important landmark to identify the superior border of the dissection comprised by Stations 16a2 and 16b1. Station 16a2 dissection may be associated with a traction injury of the left renal vein or damage of right renal or suprarenal arteries and is dissected if there are specific concerns regarding involvement.

While station 16 provides important prognostic information for risk stratification, a strategic and stepwise approach is needed for a safe sampling. This is accomplished by wide mobilization of the duodenum, implementation of thermal fusion to minimize chyle leak, and careful dissection below the left renal vein.