Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) is the standard surgical treatment for localized renal cell carcinoma. LRN can be performed using a transperitoneal or retroperitoneal approach. We report a case of a complication specific to the retroperitoneal approach. A 63-year-old woman with localized right renal cell carcinoma was treated with retroperitoneal LRN. During placement of the first port, tumor vessels were damaged by a balloon dilator. Massive hemorrhage from the retroperitoneal cavity required conversion to retroperitoneal laparotomy to stop the bleeding. When laparotomy was performed, active bleeding had already ceased. The bleeding was caused by damage to the tumor vessels from the balloon dilator. Subsequent nephrectomy was performed without other complications. This case suggests that the transperitoneal approach is safer than the retroperitoneal approach when a tumor is located laterally and contains many tumor vessels.
Keywords: balloon dilator; complication; laparoscopic nephrectomy; open conversion; tumor vessels.