Robotic Surgery Facilitates Partial Nephrectomy

Robotic partial nephrectomy for patients with complex kidney tumors accomplishes tumor resection and renal reconstruction while minimizing warm ischemia times, claims a new study.

Researchers at the United States National Cancer Institute (NCI, Bethesda, MD, USA) assessed a total of 14 tumors that were resected by robotic partial nephrectomy from eight patients (mean age 50.3 years) with complex kidney tumor features, which included hilar, completely endophytic, or multiple tumors.

The results showed that the robotic partial nephrectomy procedures were performed successfully without complications. Hilar clamping was used with a mean warm ischemia time of 31 minutes; mean blood loss was 230 milliliters. Histopathology confirmed three cases of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma, two of hybrid oncocytic tumor, two chromophobe renal cell carcinomas, and an oncocytoma. Mean index tumor size was 3.6 cm, and all patients had negative surgical margins. At 3-months follow-up, no patients experienced a statistically significant change in serum creatinine or estimated glomerular filtration rate and there was no evidence of tumor recurrence. The study was published ahead of print on October 15, 2007, in the online version of European Urology.

"A robotic approach can facilitate the technical challenges of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, potentially allowing select patients to receive a minimally-invasive and nephron-sparing surgery who might otherwise receive open surgery or total nephrectomy,” said first author Dr. Craig Rogers, director of robotic kidney surgery at Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit, MI, USA).


Related Links:
United States National Cancer Institute
Henry Ford Hospital