Aim: Lymphocyst is one of the most common complications of
lymphadenectomy and generally encountered during uro-gynecological oncology surgeries. We aimed to define the risk factors for formation of a lymphocyst in patients with various gynecological
cancer types in whom a
lymphadenectomy was performed. Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 206 patients. Of the 206 patients, 100 were diagnosed with a lymphocyst, and 106 were assigned to a control group. Laboratory findings and surgical characteristics of the patients were compared. Results: No differences were observed in age, pre-operative
hemoglobin; platelet, white blood cell, and lymphocyte counts; or pre-operative
albumin level (p = 0.315, 0.500, 0.525, 0.683, 0.740, and 0.97, respectively). A significant effect of the
heparin dose ×
heparin days interaction and lymphocyst formation was observed (p = 0.002). Lymphocysts were most frequently detected in the
ovarian cancer subgroup (49 %). Significant differences were detected between the groups in the percentages of patients who underwent CT only and RT only treatments (p = 0.001 and 0.002, respectively). The logistic regression analysis revealed a relationship between the
LMWH dose × days interaction and formation of a lymphocyst (OR, 1.10; 95 % CI, 1.0-1.13; p = 0.01). Conclusion: The association between total
LMWH dose administered and the formation of lymphocysts in patients with gynecological
pelvic cancer was investigated for the first time. Significant relationship between
heparin dose × days and lymphocyst formation was found. Although anticoagulation with
LMWH is essential for preventing
thromboembolism, it should be used appropriately to prevent other complications, such as
bleeding and lymphocysts.