Robotic partial nephrectomy performed with Airseal versus a standard CO2 pressure pneumoperitoneum insufflator: a prospective comparative study

Background Airseal represents a new generation of valveless and barrier-free surgical trocars that enable a stable pneumoperitoneum with continuous smoke evacuation and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) recirculation during surgery. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the potential advantages of the Airseal compared to a standard CO 2 insufflator in the field of robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN). Methods Between October 2012 and April 2015, two cohorts of 122 consecutive patients with clinically localized renal cell carcinoma underwent RPN by a single surgeon, with the use of a standard CO 2 pressure insufflator (Group A, 55 patients) or Airseal (Group B, 67 patients) and were prospectively compared. Results The two groups were similar in baseline, preoperative characteristics. The mean dimension of the lesion, as evaluated by contrast-enhanced CT scan, was 30 (median 28; IQR 2) and 39 mm (median 40; IQR 2) for Groups A and B, respectively ( p