Introduction and importance: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a highly systemic aggressive disease with a tendency of rapid lymph node invasion and metastasis presenting poor oncologic outcomes. Ureteral localization of tumors leads to hydronephrosis and early invasion of the muscle wall, being categorized as high risk tumors.
Case presentation: A 70 years old female was diagnosed with lower left ureteral urothelial tumor associated with hydronephrosis and paraaortic and iliac enlarged lymph nodes. The disease was stratified as high risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Treatment consisted in en bloc radical nephroureterectomy, bladder cuff excision and wide lymph node dissection using a combined robotic and 3D laparoscopic approach.
Clinical discussion: Surgical challenges are surpassed by the use of minimal invasive approaches that offer precise dissection and tissue manipulation with a fast postoperative recovery and early adjuvant oncologic treatment. Comprehensive and complete lymph node dissection along with precise bladder cuff excision offers improved staging, possibly impacting disease prognosis.
Conclusion: En bloc minimal invasive radical nephroureterectomy, bladder cuff excision and wide lymph node dissection offer improved surgery time and lymph node dissection, better management of distal ureteral and bladder cuff excision, watertight cystorrhaphy and optimal disease staging. The experience of the main surgeon with 3D laparoscopy was used in the hereby case to optimize operatory time for the renal step of the surgery. The gentle and precise movements of the Da Vinci robot allowed an accurate en bloc dissection (pN2, N4+/15) with implications in staging and possibly also in oncologic outcomes.
Keywords: 3D laparoscopy; Case report; En bloc excision; Lymph node dissection; Radical robotic nephroureterectomy; Upper tract urothelial carcinoma.
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