title: Retroperitoneal and transperitoneal laparoscopic cryotherapy for small renal masses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cryotherapy is a minimally invasive ablative technique that is considered an alternative to conventional surgery for preserving renal function in small renal tumors and in selected cases. We present our results from laparoscopic renal cryotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed 17 renal tumors diagnosed in 16 patients treated with cryotherapy. The patients' mean age was 66 years (43-80). The mean tumor size was 1.8cm (0.7-3.7cm). Cryotherapy with double-freeze cycle was performed laparoscopically in all cases (10 by transperitoneal approach and 7 by retroperitoneal approach).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perioperative biopsies were performed on all patients and were positive for malignancy in 10 cases (59%). The mean stay was 2.8 days. The mean operative time was 162 minutes. Only 1 case reverted to open surgery due to bleeding. One patient required a blood transfusion in the immediate postoperative period. The majority of complications were Clavien-Dindo grades I and II. Some 76.5% of the patients had no complications. After a mean follow-up of 31 months (6-102), 1 patient died from nontumor-related causes, and 12 patients (75%) still show no evidence of local recurrence or progression. One patient had tumor persistence and therefore underwent partial nephrectomy at 6 months. One patient had a metachronous recurrence in the same kidney at 36 months, and another patient had a recurrence at 23 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic renal cryotherapy is a safe and feasible technique and is a good alternative to surgery for selected renal tumors.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Urología, Institut Català d'Urologia i Nefrologia, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: arturodom1980@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Urología, Institut Català d'Urologia i Nefrologia, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bellido
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Urología, Institut Català d'Urologia i Nefrologia, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Urología, Institut Català d'Urologia i Nefrologia, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Abascal-Junquera
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Urología, Institut Català d'Urologia i Nefrologia, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hannaoui
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Urología, Institut Català d'Urologia i Nefrologia, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Banús
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010537:Peritoneum; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Crioterapia; Laparoscopia; Renal tumor, Cryotherapy, Laparoscopy; Tratamiento; Treatment; Tumor renal