Background: We report our experience with the retroperitoneal (RP) and transperitoneal (TP) approaches for laparoscopic nephrectomy for clinically localized renal cell carcinoma.
Methods: Sixty-three patients with renal cell carcinoma were treated with laparoscopic nephrectomy, 34 by TP and 29 by RP approach between June 1999 and June 2003. Average age, ASA score, tumor stage and tumor size were similar in both groups. Early complications within 30 days and surgical time were retrospectively reviewed.
Results: Surgical time was with a mean of 183 and 190 minutes equal for the TP and RP approach. Intraoperative complications occurred in 4 patients and were vascular, requiring blood transfusion in 2 patients each per group. Postoperative complications were thromboembolism in 1 patient and subcutaneous seroma in 1 patient, both in the TP group.
Conclusions: Although the sample size is small, it appears that the tumor control and surgical time in laparoscopic nephrectomy are not significantly influenced by the approach.