title: Laparoscopic nephrectomy: an early experience at Queen Mary Hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report our early experience of laparoscopic nephrectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective data collection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomies were performed on 40 patients between July 1997 and December 2002.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic and perioperative data including operating time, blood loss, postoperative pain score, analgesic requirement, complications, time to resume oral intake, ambulatory state, and length of hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed for 21 solid renal masses, five transitional cell carcinomas, and 14 non-functioning kidneys. Seven (17.5%) patients had previous abdominal surgery. The mean body mass index of the patients was 23.9 kg/m(2) and the mean operating time was 229 minutes. The mean estimated blood loss was 370 mL, and two patients required conversion to open surgery because of intra-operative bleeding. Other complications include diaphragmatic injury, port-site bleeding, chyle leakage, bleeding peptic ulcer, and myocardial ischaemia. The postoperative mean analgesic requirement was 26 mg of morphine sulphate equivalent. The mean time for patients to resume oral diet and full ambulation was 1.3 and 2.8 days, respectively, and the mean length of hospital stay was 6.7 days. The mean diameter of the solid renal tumour was 4.1 cm and the surgical margins of all resected specimen for malignant tumours were negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic nephrectomy is a safe and efficacious approach for resection of benign non-functioning kidneys and malignant renal tumours.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. mccheunguro@mac.com
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: F C W
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: B B W
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Tam
mesh_terms: D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000601:surgery