title: Retroperitoneal nephrectomy: comparison of laparoscopy with open surgery.
abstract: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy (RLN) is a relatively recent technique whose performance needs to be firmly established. The aim of this study was to compare the results of RLNs in 19 patients with retrospective results for 10 cases of open surgery. Ten of the RLN patients had transplanted kidneys. We used a slightly modified, already published technique with only three trocars that did not require balloon dilatation of the retroperitoneal space. It was successful in patients with and without transplants. The average operative times of RLN and open surgery were 115 and 110 minutes, respectively. In no instance did the laparoscopic procedure need to be converted to open surgery. There were no peri- or postoperative complications that could be related to the RLN technique. The average length of hospitalization after RLN was considerably shorter (3.8 days) than after open surgery (7.9 days). In conclusion, our experience shows that RLN is a safe, reproducible technique that reduces recovery time. It has become our first-line approach for simple nephrectomy, nephroureterectomy for ureteral tumors, and removal of the native kidney in transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tenon Hospital, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris, France.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Doublet
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Degremont
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gattegno
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thibault
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies