Hand-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy after 60 cases: comparison with open partial nephrectomy

Background Partial nephrectomy is the surgical standard of care for favorably located, small renal tumors. As the incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and detection of small kidney masses have increased over the past 20 years, minimally invasive management of these lesions has become more common. We report our single-institution experience with hand-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (HALPN) compared with open partial nephrectomy (OPN). Methods Relevant outcome and demographic information was collected prospectively for HALPNs ( N = 60) and retrospectively for OPNs ( N = 40). A p -value of 3 days. Tumor pathology was as follows: 80.7% and 80% RCC, 12.3% and 8% oncocytoma, and 7% and 12% angiomyolipoma, for HALPN and OPN, respectively in each case. Conclusions HALPN is associated with diminished blood loss, operating time, warm ischemia time, positive margin rates, and length of stay compared with OPN. In our institution, HALPN is the standard approach for patients with small, surgically accessible renal tumors.