Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: six degrees of haemostasis.
OBJECTIVE
• To describe six steps for haemostasis and collecting system closure ('six degrees of haemostasis') that are reproducible and that minimize the two most concerning complications of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: haemorrhage and urine leakage.


METHODS
• A retrospective study of 23 consecutive laparoscopic partial nephrectomy cases performed by a single surgeon between 2005 and 2008 using the 'six degrees of haemostasis' was carried out.


RESULTS
• There were no cases of intraoperative, postoperative or delayed bleeding. • There were no cases of urine leakage.


CONCLUSIONS
• The 'six degrees of haemostasis' technique for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy described in the present study provides a reliable and reproducible method to reassure the surgeon of haemostasis and provide a decreased risk of urine leakage.
University of California Irvine, Department of Urology, Orange, CA, USA. louie@uci.edu
Michael K
MK
Louie
Leslie A
LA
Deane
Adam G
AG
Kaplan
Hak J
HJ
Lee
Geoffrey N
GN
Box
Jose Benito A
JB
Abraham
James F
JF
Borin
Farhan
F
Khan
Elspeth M
EM
McDougall
Ralph V
RV
Clayman
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D009399:Nephrons / Q000601:surgery; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult