Laparoscopic Versus Open Radical Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study

Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) became a popular and standard treatment for renal cancers in comparison with open radical nephrectomy (ORN). Between 5 May 2008 and 10 October 2023, we retrospectively reviewed 74 patients with renal cell carcinoma at the Oncology Center, Mansoura University, who were treated with either laparoscopic or open radical nephrectomy with the assessment of the surgical and postoperative outcomes and the impact of both approaches on the patient's prognosis. The operative time in the LRN group was 166.76 ± 55.69 min and was comparable with that in the ORN group at 164.5 ± 51.68 min (p = 0.86). The intraoperative blood loss significantly differed between both groups with 101.47 ± 49.79 ml in the LRN group and 270.63 ± 123.22 ml in the ORN group (p < 0.001). The surgical outcomes such as ambulation, starting oral intake, and in-hospital stay were statistically significant between both groups (p < 0.001). We followed up with the patients within 40.74 months (range 2-279 months), and the tumor recurred in the LRN and ORN groups in 3 and 4 cases, respectively. Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in comparison to open radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma has better surgical and postoperative outcomes in experienced hands and in small-sized tumors.