title: [Retroperitoneoscopy. Technique and experiences with the first 100 patients].
abstract: Retroperitoneoscopic procedures were already being performed in the late 1970s. The clinical breakthrough of retroperitoneoscopy, however, was initiated in 1992 by the balloon-dissecting technique of Gaur, together with the experience gained with transperitoneal laparoscopic procedures in the upper retroperitoneum. We have modified the balloon-dissecting technique into a hydraulic video-optically controlled balloon dissection of the retroperitoneal space, and this procedure was recently further simplified. From December 1992 to December 1995 we performed 100 retroperitoneoscopic procedures in 98 patients (aged 4-82 years). Twenty-two patients had undergone previous abdominal surgery, 16 patients had been operated on for kidney and ureter problems. We performed 28 simple procedures (6 renal biopsies, 17 renal cyst resections, 4 ureterocutaneostomies, 1 foreign body retrieval), 65 difficult operations (47 nephrectomies, 5 nephroureterectomies, 5 nephropexies, 4 ureterolithotomies, 2x ureterolysis). There were also 9 complicated cases (5 heminephrectomies, 2 tumor nephrectomies, 2 dismembered pyeloplasties). Operating time, complications and conversion rate to open surgery mainly depended on the difficulty of the procedure and the personal learning curve, resulting in 50-90 min, 0% and 3.8%, respectively, for an easy retroperitoneoscopy, 90-210 min, 12% and 9.2% respectively for a difficult operation, and 180-390 min, 22% and 11%, respectively, for a very difficult procedure. Excluding the 17 patients with complications or conversion (unclear anatomy, extremely difficult dissection), the mean postoperative need for analgesics was 0.7 vials, and the mean hospital stay was 4.7 days. We have now passed most of our learning curve, and retroperitoneoscopy has become a standardized procedure that is a part of the training program for the experienced urologist.
authors.affiliation: Urologische Klinik, Städtisches Krankenhaus Heilbronn, Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus, Universität Heidelberg.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rassweiler
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Seemann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henkel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tschada
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Potempa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alken
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020706:Laparoscopes; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000295:instrumentation; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014515:Ureteral Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014516:Ureteral Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014741:Video Recording / Q000295:instrumentation
vernacular_title: Retroperitoneoskopie. Technik und Erfahrungen mit den ersten 100 Patienten.