Laparoscopic partial upper pole nephrectomy in infants and children

To retrospectively review 5 years' experience of transperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) in infants and children.

Between January 1995 and December 1999, 14 upper-pole partial nephrectomies (seven right and seven left) were undertaken in 13 children (mean age 3.8 years, range 0.4-14). One patient underwent bilateral upper-pole LPN. No children required a lower-pole partial nephrectomy during the study period. Evaluation included renal ultrasonography, voiding cystourethrography, renal scintigraphy and contrast-enhanced computed tomography in some cases. Three ports (10, 5 and 5 mm) were used in all except two patients, who required an additional 2 mm port for liver retraction. The diseased parenchyma was transected with electrocautery or harmonic scalpel. The distal ureter was simply transected in the absence of reflux, but tied adjacent to the bladder if reflux was present.

The mean operative duration for LPN was 100 min, with an estimated blood loss of < 30 mL. A liquid diet was tolerated on the first morning after surgery and age-appropriate regular diet that evening in all except one patient. The mean hospital stay was 2.6 days. One patient had a significant decrease in haematocrit, which was managed conservatively, not requiring transfusion. Follow-up telephone interviews with the patients' parents showed that all were satisfied with the medical and cosmetic outcome.

Transperitoneal LPN is preferable to open partial nephrectomy because: (i) The magnification provided by laparoscopy provides excellent vision for the precise dissection of the parenchyma and distal ureter, avoiding injury to the healthy tissue; (ii) There is minimal blood loss, fast recovery and less surgical scarring, and when upper-pole partial nephrectomy is required, LPN is less damaging to the lower-pole. Unlike total nephrectomy, where debate remains about open vs laparoscopic methods, the specific advantages of LPN make it clearly preferable.