Laparoscopic lymph node dissection: pelvic and retroperitoneal

The application of laparoscopic procedures to the field of urology continues to expand at a rapid rate. The initial animal studies performed in the late 1980s were brought into the clinical arena by 1990. The first widely accepted procedure was laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection for the staging of prostate cancer. Since that time, numerous laparoscopic procedures have been developed and accepted. Herein we discuss laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection for the staging evaluation of cancer of the prostate with possible applications to the bladder, urethra, and penis. The technique of laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection has been used for cancer of the testes and will also be described. The indications and a brief review of the postoperative results will also be discussed for each malignancy.