Treatment of endometrial adenocarcinoma complicated by previous Watkins transposition operation: a report of three cases.

Three patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma complicated by previous Watkins transposition operations were treated at the University of Minnesota. Adequate diagnostic uterine dilatation and curettage necessary for proper staging was difficult or impossible because of the anatomic distortion caused by the prior surgery. Moreover, in one patient in whom the anatomic changes were not recognized, surgical treatment resulted in incomplete removal of tumor. The Watkins transposition operation should be considered a possible cause of technical difficulty during dilatation and curettage of any patient with a history of vaginal surgery. If the transposition surgery has been performed, difficulty in removing the uterus should be anticipated.