Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy: A Matched-pair Comparison of the Transperitoneal Versus the Retroperitoneal Approach

ObjectivesTo compare surgical and functional results of both surgical approaches to endoscopic partial nephrectomy. It is currently performed either by the transperitoneal (t) or the retroperitoneal (r) approach.MethodsThis was a retrospective, matched-pair comparison of 105 patients who underwent either transperitoneal laparoscopic (Graz) or retroperitoneoscopic (Klagenfurt) partial nephrectomy for clinical T1a renal masses.ResultsA total of 35 patients after transperitoneal laparoscopic and 70 patients after retroperitoneoscopic partial nephrectomy were included to this analysis after matching for age (T: 59.3 vs R: 60.1 a), preoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (T: 93.2 vs R: 96.1 mL/min) and tumor size (T: 2.4 vs R: 2.5 cm). Nephrometry scores were comparable between groups and were low, medium, and high in 54.3%, 45.7%, and 0% (t) and 55.7%, 42.9%, and 1.4% (r) of patients (P = .9). Operative time (T: 139.3 minutes vs. R: 83.9 minutes; P < .001) and hospitalization (T: 7 days, R: 5 days; P < .001) were shorter in the retroperitoneoscopic group. Ischemia time (T: 24.3 minutes, R: 22.6 minutes) and postsurgical GFR (T: 86.6 vs R: 90.0 mL/min), postsurgical GFR-decrease (T: 7.1%, R: 6.2%, P = .9) and decline of hemoglobin (T: 17.1%, R: 16.6%) were comparable. Complications were 4 nephrectomies (T: n = 1, R: n = 3), 2 revisions for hemorrhage (R: n = 2), 4 pneumothorax (R: n = 4), and 2 urinary fistulas (T: n = 2). The positive surgical margin rate was comparable between groups (T: n = 3, R: n = 5).ConclusionsTransperitoneal laparoscopic and retroperitoneoscopic partial nephrectomy provide comparable surgical and functional results. One advantage of the retroperitoneoscopic access seems to be a shorter total surgical time.