AUTHOR=Tanagho Youssef S., Bhayani Sam B., Figenshau Robert S. TITLE=Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy in contemporary practice JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology VOLUME=2 YEAR=2013 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2012.00213 DOI=10.3389/fonc.2012.00213 ISSN=2234-943X ABSTRACT=
Laparoscopic renal surgery is associated with reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stay, enhanced cosmesis, and more rapid convalescence relative to open renal surgery. Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) is a minimally invasive, nephron-sparing alternative to laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (RN) for the management of small renal masses. While offering similar oncological outcomes to laparoscopic RN, the technical challenges and prolonged learning curve associated with LPN limit its wider dissemination. Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN), although still an evolving procedure with no long-term data, has emerged as a viable alternative to LPN, with favorable preliminary outcomes. This article provides an overview of the role of RAPN in the management of renal cell carcinoma. The clinical indications and principles of surgical technique for this procedure are discussed. The oncological, renal functional, and perioperative outcomes of RAPN are also evaluated, as are complication rates.