Two-year outcomes after robotic renal surgery: a single surgeon's experience

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Robotic Surgery

Background:

• Robotic technology offers potential advantages in complex renal surgeries.
• Assessing the feasibility and outcomes of robotic renal surgery is crucial for clinical adoption.
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk factors are common in patients undergoing renal procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the feasibility of robotic technology in diverse renal surgeries.
• To evaluate 2-year clinical and pathological outcomes following robotic renal procedures.
• To assess renal function, recurrence rates, and survival after robotic renal surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 55 robotic renal surgeries (RPN, RRN, RSN, RNU).
• Data collection included estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), serum creatinine, tumor recurrence, and quality of life.
• Preoperative and postoperative follow-up at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.

Main Results:

• Postoperative serum creatinine and eGFR changes were similar across all robotic renal surgery groups.
• Cancer-specific survival at 2 years was 100% for RPN and RNU, and 83% for RRN.
• Overall survival at 2 years was 100% for RPN, RSN, and RNU, and 76% for RRN.

Conclusions:

• Robotic renal surgery is a feasible and minimally invasive approach with favorable short-term outcomes.
• The study highlights promising oncological and functional results for robotic partial and radical nephrectomies.
• Long-term comparative studies are necessary to establish robotic surgery's superiority over open or laparoscopic methods.