Partial nephrectomy for renal carcinoma

Prevalent use of cross-sectional imaging has led to a manifest increase in the number of newly diagnosed, radiographically enhanced small renal masses. Partial nephrectomy (PN) is the standard care for small renal tumors. Some investigators have reported that PN has been associated with a better overall survival when compared to radical nephrectomy (RN). Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) is an increasingly performed, minimally invasive alternative to OPN. LPN offers the advantages of reduced operative time, decreased operative blood loss and a shorter hospital stay. However, LPN is a technically challenging procedure that requires advanced laparoscopic skills. In an attempt to shorten the considerable learning curve associated with LPN, to ease surgeon fatigue, and to further expand the indications set for LPN, robotic partial nephrectomy has been introduced.