Complete retroperitoneal robotic nephroureterectomy: a preliminary report / 中华泌尿外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective This study is to investigate the safety,feasibility and efficacy of the complete retroperitoneal robotic nephroureterectomy in treatment of upper urinary tract tumors.Methods Three patients underwent complete retroperitoneal robotic nephroureterectomy due to the upper urinary epithelial tumor from August to October in 2017 in our institution.The 3 patients' demographics and tumor characteristics,including age,gender,body mass index (kg/m2),ASA score,Charlson comorbidity index,tumor laterality and diameter (cm),were 48/75/68 years old,male/female/female,22.9/20.8/21.3,2/2/2,0/2/1,left/right/left,3.2/2.0/1.4,respectively.All patients had complained about the hematuria and accepted the abdominal CT and CTU examination,preoperatively.All patients were diagnosed localized upper urinary tract malignant tumors based on these images.The tumor of case 1 located in the renal pelvis.The tumor of case 2 located in the upper segment of the ureter.The tumor of case 3 located in the lower segment of the ureter.The operations were performed under general anesthesia,and patients were positioned in full flank.A total of five ports were used in the procedure and placed in the following order.The initial port (Port 1) was a robotic camera port,which was placed 3 cm above the intersection of the mid axillary line and the iliac crest.The next three ports (Port 2 to Port 4) were all 8 mm robotic instrument ports and placed at the intersection of posterior axillary line and costal margin,3 cm above the intersection of anterior axillary line and costal margin,and 4 cm medial and inferior to anterior superior iliac spine.The fifth port (Port 5) was a 12 mm assistant port and placed at 3 cm medial and superior to anterior superior iliac spine.Our completely robotic technique did not require patient repositioning and port reassignment,but redocking of the robotic arms was needed.Nephrectomy was performed according to the routine retroperitoneal laparoscopic procedure.Once the remainder of the kidney was mobilized,the dissection was directed down the pelvis to mobilize the distal segment of the ureter.The bladder defect was then closed by Endo-GIA stapler or absorbable sutures.Results All procedures were successful and smooth,with no intraoperative or postoperative complications.Operative duration (min) and estimated blood loss (ml) was 245/270/239,100/100/100,respectively.Postoperative pain measured by the visual analog pain scale(VASP) at day 1,day 2,day 3 was 5/4/4,4/3/3,2/2/1,respectively.Time off oral intake (d),duration of drainage (d),active time post-operation (h) and hospital stay (d) was 2/2/2,3/2/3,24/32/32,3/2/4,respectively.Intravesical chemotherapy was performed within 24 h after the operation.Postoperatively,the urinary catheter was left in place for 2 weeks.Pathological examination confirmed papillary urothelial carcinoma in all cases.Conclusions The initial experience shows that the complete retroperitoneal robotic nephroureterectomy is a safe,feasible and efficacious procedure,but in this early stage the clinical indications should be strictly controlled.