Intraoperative Ultrasound Can Facilitate Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy in Adherent Perinephric Fat

Adherent perinephric fat (APF) is one of the challenging factors of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intraoperative laparoscopic ultrasound (ILUS) on determining renal tumor localization and dissection in patients with APF who underwent LPN. Prospectively collected data from 517 patients who underwent LPN from October 2010 to September 2020 in tertiary university hospital were evaluated retrospectively. The cohort was divided into two main groups according to the Mayo Adhesive Probability (MAP) score: Group 1 (MAP score ≤3) and Group 2 (MAP score ≥4). After implementing propensity score-matched analysis including the complexity of tumor, age, and body mass index, Group 1 consisted of 202 patients with ≤3 MAP score and Group 2 included 46 patients. Then, both groups were allocated into two subgroups according to whether ILUS was used. Demographics, perioperative features such as perirenal fatty tissue dissection, tumor excision, operation time, and perioperative outcomes accepted as trifecta, considering warm ischemia time, negative surgical margin, and complications were compared. In Group 1, ILUS use did not seem to affect perioperative outcomes in both subgroups. However, ILUS has a positive effect on perirenal fatty tissue dissection (10 versus 19 minutes, P = .011), tumor excision (4 versus 7 minutes, P = .005), and operation time (78 versus 90 minutes, P = .046) in Group 2. Trifecta outcomes were also better in higher MAP scores and ultrasound-used subgroups (P = .019). ILUS should be considered a helpful and effective instrument in overcoming APF in LPN. It might also have a positive effect on trifecta outcomes.