Intraoperative ultrasonography: a useful tool in retrolaparoscopic nephron-sparing surgery

To evaluate the value of intraoperative laparoscopic ultrasonography (ILUS) in retrolaparoscopic nephron-sparing surgery.

A total of 81 cases were studied during a 5-year period: 38 patients with a benign renal tumor who underwent enucleation of the tumor and 43 patients with a suspected malignant renal tumor who underwent wedge resection of the tumor. ILUS was used to evaluate renal perfusion, locate the tumor, precisely delineate the tumor border, characterize the tumor, and look for any suspected satellite renal masses.

All procedures were successful without conversion to open surgery. The mean operating time was 106 min for enucleation (range 70- 150 min) and 114 min for wedge resection (range 80- 235 min). The mean size of benign tumors was 4.02 cm and that of malignant tumors was 3.13 cm, and all margins were negative. An additional renal artery branch was detected in 11 patients. In 2 cases the operative procedure was changed based on the ILUS findings. No satellite lesion was found in any of the patients with malignant tumors.

ILUS provides significant benefit in retrolaparoscopic nephron-sparing surgery. In a number of situations, especially endogenic lesions, it is an essential surgical tool.