Minimally Invasive Partial Nephrectomy in the Era of Robotic Surgery

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to compare the operative features, complication rates, functional, and pathological outcomes of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) and robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RPN). METHODS: The demographics, perioperative, and follow-up data of patients who underwent partial nephrectomy between January 2007 and April 2020 with minimally invasive methods were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with minimum 3 months follow-up were enrolled in the present study. Perioperative and pathological outcomes were compared between the patients underwent LPN and RPN. RESULTS: A total of 85 patients (65 LPN and 20 RPN) were included in the present study. The mean patient age at the time of surgery was 56.31±10.48 years. Female-to-male ratio was 30/55. Patients in the RPN group had higher R.E.N.A.L. and PADUA scores (p=0.039 and p=0.030, respectively). Median warm ischemia time, median operation time, median intraoperative estimated blood loss, mean post-operative hemoglobin change, and median hospitalization time were similar between groups (p=0.133, p=0.753, p=0.079, p=0.882, and p=0.473, respectively). Artery-only clamping rate was significantly higher in RPN group (p=0.033). The cost of RPN was significantly greater than LPN (p<0.001). Transfusion rates, post-operative complication rates, percent of estimated glomerular filtration rate change at the last follow-up, and trifecta achievement were similar between the groups (p=0.622, p=0.238, p=0.428, and p=0.349, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this series, similar perioperative and functional outcomes were achieved by RPN compared to LPN in more complex renal masses.