Anaesthesia for laparoscopic urological surgery

Laparoscopy for urological surgery is a relatively recent surgical innovation. Some centres have substantial experience of single operations, but very few have experience with a comprehensive range. Our programme began with nephrectomy and pyeloplasty, and has expanded to provide for a living related kidney donor programme and for other procedures usually conducted open. Recently, it has included prostate and bladder cancer surgery. The learning curve and implications for anaesthesia are described on the basis of the experience of one anaesthetist with 124 patients. Perioperative care issues, in common with other abdominal laparoscopic procedures, relate to operating positions, the consequences of carbon dioxide under pressure in the abdomen and postoperative analgesia. There is only a small requirement for regional anaesthesia supplementation and invasive analgesia. The corporate laparoscopic cholecystectomy experience was used as the foundation for anaesthesia and to delineate specific organ system issues and any interventions. Significant differences were found in the spectrum of the urological patient population and comorbidity, notably renal function or dysfunction, and complications.