[Laparoscopic nephrectomies: initial experience of a community hospital]

We present our initial experience with 34 laparoscopic nephrectomies performed in a 29 months period of time. 32% of the patients with renal tumor (clinical stage T1-T2) and the others for benign pathology. Average surgical time was 131 minutes (70-210). Average bleeding was 330 ml (50-2500). Average time of hospitalization was 2,7 days (1-14). 62% of patients were discharged to home between the first and second day post surgery. One patient with tumor required conversion to open surgery for an hilium bleeding. There were 3 serious complications (9%), included one patient died by septic shock and one lesion of left colon that required segmental colectomy. The results of this initial serie are promissory and a special care should be taken in selection of patients to achieve good results with low surgical morbidity.