title: Passing from open to robotic surgery for dismembered pyeloplasty: a single centre experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of symptomatic uretropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) has evolved towards minimal invasive endourologic and laparoscopic techniques. Robotic assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty has achieved outcomes comparable to those corresponding to open and laparoscopic techniques. The objective of this work is to demonstrate that the transition between open to robotic surgeries is straightforward. We analysed retrospectively "our initial results" in robotic assisted UPJ reconstruction procedures. Technical and convalescence aspects for 17 reconstructive robotic procedures performed by 2 surgeons in a 5 years period have been evaluated. Success consisted of no postoperative symptoms, no evidence of obstruction on mercaptoacetyltriglycine-3 diuretic renal scan or computed tomography (CT) and non-further treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  mean ± standard deviation, median and range.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 17 patients who underwent Da Vinci Robot procedure, 15 followed the complete treatment (2 were converted to laparotomy). Two patients had post-operative urine leakage; the stent was changed under sedation without further sequelae. The mean operative time was 189 minutes. The average hospital stay was 4 days. The average follow-up was 25 months. There was only one patient with UPJ stenosis at 6 months and he was treated by balloon dilation. All patients were followed with MAG 3 lasix renal scan, CT or urography. Except the patient with recurrent stenosis, all patients were asymptomatic without objective evidence of obstruction at the present time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Robotic pyeloplasty technique is feasible and gives good results without previous laparoscopic experience.
authors.affiliation: Urology Department, Cliniques universitaires UCL Dinant-Godinne, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1 Av Gaston Thérasse, Yvoir, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Gregorio
authors.affiliation: Urology Department, Cliniques universitaires UCL Dinant-Godinne, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1 Av Gaston Thérasse, Yvoir, Belgium.
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botnaru
authors.affiliation: Aenesthesia Department, Cliniques universitaires UCL Dinant-Godinne, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1 Av Gaston Thérasse, Yvoir, Belgium.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bairy
authors.affiliation: Urology Department, Cliniques universitaires UCL Dinant-Godinne, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1 Av Gaston Thérasse, Yvoir, Belgium.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lorge
keywords: Laparoscopy; Minimally invasive surgery; Pyeloplasty; Renal disease; Robotic surgery; UPJ obstruction