Is perioperative examination of frozen sections necessary in nephron-sparing surgery?

To evaluate the role of perioperative freezing in the management of surgical procedures in patients with malignant renal masses. The study group consisted of 17 patients diagnosed with renal masses who underwent nephron-sparing surgery. The group included 5 females and 12 males aged from 44 to 68 years (mean = 54.6). The mean mass size was 5.5 cm. Mass locations were as follows: 9 were in the lower pole, 4 were in the mid-pole, and 6 were in the upper pole. Perioperative freezing was not carried out. The patients were followed-up in a period ranging from 3 months to 7 years. Tumor pathology was reported as renal cell carcinoma in all cases, and surgical margins were negative in all of them. One patient died after 1 year because of tumor metastasis. In another patient, the tumor reoccurred in the same kidney and a radical nephrectomy was performed. Other patients were followed without recurrence. Imaging of the renal vascular system and freezing during surgery is not necessary for nephron-sparing surgery for renal cell carcinoma; however, we should be careful in terms of capsule invasion because of tumor recurrence.