Hybrid transureteral natural orifice translumenal endoscopic nephrectomy: a feasibility study in the porcine model.
OBJECTIVE
Natural orifice approaches for nephrectomy have included access via the stomach, vagina, bladder, and rectum. The use of the ureter as a natural orifice for natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) nephrectomy has not been previously reported. The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of transureteral laparoscopic NOTES nephrectomy.


METHODS
Three female farm pigs (29.2-30.8 kg) were placed into the lithotomy position. A cystoscopically placed extra-stiff guidewire was used to place a prototype dilating sheath into the left ureter. After dilation of the ureter and urethra, the sheath was exchanged for a 12-mm bariatric laparoscopic trocar. A 10.5-inch long 10-mm offset operating laparoscope with an internal 5-mm working port was used for the nephrectomy. One 2-mm and one 2/3-mm port were placed transabdominally to facilitate in situ morcellation. The kidney was cut into slices using the bipolar device and extracted via the ureteral port using the housing of a 12-mm bariatric stapling device.


RESULTS
All three transureteral nephrectomies were successfully completed. The total mean operative time was 220 minutes (range 113-346 min). Component portions of the procedure were: Ureteral access (mean 21 min), nephrectomy (mean 70 min), and kidney morcellation (mean 103 min). Mean estimated blood loss was 20 mL (range 5-50 mL). There were no intraoperative complications.


CONCLUSIONS
This nonsurvival porcine feasibility study demonstrates the successful performance of transureteral nephrectomy. This approach shows promise as a way to decrease the invasiveness of NOTES nephrectomy by using the ureteral orifice as an access site.
Department of Urology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA. dduanebaldwin@mac.com
D Duane
DD
Baldwin
Christopher
C
Tenggardjaja
Ryan
R
Bowman
Kamyar
K
Ebrahimi
Daniel S
DS
Han
Daniel
D
Greene
Paymohn
P
Mahdavi
Walter
W
Yuen
Joshua
J
Chamberlin
Nathaniel
N
Krupp
D000269:Adhesives; D000818:Animals; D002404:Catheterization; D019723:Endoscopes; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D023421:Models, Animal; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000601:surgery*; D014513:Ureter / Q000601:surgery*
D000269:Adhesives