[Partial nephrectomy - pro laparoscopy]

Partial nephrectomy has become the most frequently used surgical procedure in the treatment of renal cell cancer. The current role of laparoscopy for this indication has to be defined.The technique of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy has undergone a continuous development to become mature. Once the learning curve of the individual surgeon has been overcome the results are comparable to those of open surgery. This is true for ischemia time, complication rate and oncologic outcome. In addition there is the advantage of the minimally invasive approach in laparoscopy sparing a painful flank incision. Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is not yet a standard of care but yields excellent results in the hands of experts. There are no conclusive studies comparing standard and da Vinci®-assisted laparoscopy. No clear advantages become obvious, but the costs of the robot are substantial.