Laparoscopic nephrectomy with single-portal access Gelpoint®in swines

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Animal Models in Research

Background:

• Single-port access surgery offers potential benefits in reducing invasiveness.
• Gelpoint® is a device designed for single-port laparoscopic surgery.
• Nephrectomy (kidney removal) is a common surgical procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and safety of Gelpoint® for partial and total nephrectomies in pigs.
• To identify and describe technical challenges encountered during these single-port procedures.

Main Methods:

• Ten pigs underwent either total right nephrectomy (Group A) or partial left nephrectomy (Group B).
• Procedures were conducted using the Gelpoint® device for single-port access.
• Surgical times, bleeding, and dissection times were recorded.

Main Results:

• Total nephrectomy (Group A) averaged 20.4 ± 8.2 minutes with minimal bleeding (<20 mL in 70% of cases).
• Partial nephrectomy (Group B) averaged 6.8 ± 4.2 minutes, with one procedure halted due to bleeding.
• Instrument excision times were comparable between groups, around 20-22 seconds.

Conclusions:

• Gelpoint® facilitated feasible and safe total and partial nephrectomies in a porcine model.
• The study identified specific technical aspects and potential difficulties during single-port nephrectomy.