[Role of retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in the current treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma]. / Locul nefroureterectomiei laparoscopice retroperitoneale in tratamentul actual al carcinomului urotelial de cai urinare superioare.

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays, the standard treatment for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma is open nephroureterectomy, by double lumbar and iliac approach, with peri-meat bladder cuff excision. Since the first laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was performed, several surgical teams were interested by this approach for the treatment of the upper tract transitional cell carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: To plead for retro-peritoneoscopic nephroureterectomy and to assess the surgical indications. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Were analyzed the results of the recent published series on nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma. Were included studies on conventional, laparoscopic and retro-peritoneoscopic nephroureterectomy, with at least 10 cases, published after 2000. RESULTS: The advantages of retro-peritoneoscopic nephroureterectomy are: minimum blood loss, reduced analgesic intake, a shorter hospital stay and a faster return to previous activities, lower rate of intra- or postoperative complications compared with trans-peritoneal laparoscopy or conventional surgery. With a proper case selection the oncologic safety of the retro-peritoneoscopy is equivalent with open surgery. CONCLUSIONS: On short term, retro-peritoneoscopic approach shows similar oncological outcome with other techniques. Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy is a viable alternative to conventional or trans-peritoneoscopic procedure, with clear cut benefits for the patient. Retro-peritoneoscopy is associated with a low morbidity.

[Advantages of ilio-inguinal extraction of the kidney after retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy]. / Avantajele extragerii ilio-inghinale a rinichiului în nefroureterectomia retroperitoneoscopica.

INTRODUCTION: The manner to extract the specimen after retro-peritoneoscopic nephroureterectomy varies to different surgical teams. The aim of the surgeon is to extract the specimen with minimum parietal injuries, according with oncologic principles. The objective of our study was to evaluate the ilio-inguinal approach to extract the specimen after retro-peritoneoscopic nephroureterectomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Evaluation and follow-up of 71 patients with retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy for urothelial cancer (65 pelvic urothelial carcinoma and 6 urothelial carcinoma of the ureter). Ilio-inguinal incision was used for 68 patients to extract the specimen. RESULTS: The operating time was 110 +/- 47 min. Blood lost 101 +/- 57 ml. Retroperitoneoscopic approach 10 +/- 4 min. Ilio-inguinal approach 25 +/- 10 min. The weight of the specimen was 601 +/- 127g. Tumor dimension was 5.9 +/- 1.9 cm. No conversion to open surgery was made. No late post surgery complications were registered ( follow-up at 2 and 6 months). CONCLUSIONS: The enlarged nephroureterectomy can be performed using retroperitoneoscopic approach and the specimen can be extracted through an incision at iliac fossa. This approach can be used to extract large specimens preserving the esthetic laparoscopic benefit as well as the oncologic salty and reducing the risk of post-operative eventration.

[Laparoscopic radical cystectomy with enteric urinary diversion. Alternative to open cystectomy?]. / Cistectomia radicala laparoscopica cu derivatie urinara enterala. Alternativa la operatia clasica?

Radical cystectomy is the standard therapy for invasive bladder cancer, with best oncological results compared to any other therapeutic alternative. Even if laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) is a well established surgical procedure, performing the urinary diversion completely intracorporeal, is still a challenge due to technical difficulties and associated complications. The aim of our study is to present the first series of LRC with ureterosigmoidostomy. Since May 2004 were performed 7 LRC (5 males and 2 females) (Gr. A). All cases were T2N0 clinical stage. These patients were compared with a retrospective group of 50 patients who underwent open procedure (Gr. B) in term of: operative time, blood loss, analgesic requirements, and hospital stay. LRC has a longer operative time but with statistically significant lower blood loss, less analgesia, and shorter hospital stay. The resection margins of the surgical specimens were tumor free at pathologic examination. Long-term follow-up is pending. On short-term, the results of laparoscopic radical cystectomy are encouraging. When significant experience in laparoscopic surgery is lacking, surgeons should exercise caution with completely intracorporeal urinary diversion.