Prior abdominal surgery and radiation do not complicate the retroperitoneoscopic approach to the kidney or adrenal gland

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic renal and adrenal surgery is an accepted standard of care. This can be accomplished by a transperitoneal or retroperitoneal approach. In patients with extensive prior intra-abdominal surgery with or without radiation the retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach may avoid bowel adhesions and potential operative complications. We compared clinical outcomes of the laparoscopic retroperitoneal approach in patients with prior open abdominal surgery with or without radiation to outcomes in those with no surgical history. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated clinical and functional parameters in 78 consecutive patients undergoing retroperitoneoscopic renal or adrenal surgery performed by a single surgeon in a 36-month period, including radical nephrectomy with or without ureterectomy in 50, nerve sparing surgery in 8, ablation in 16 and adrenalectomy in 4. All transperitoneal procedures during the same period were excluded from analysis. Patients were divided into 48 who underwent prior abdominal surgery with or without radiation (group 1) and 30 who did not (group 2). Prior abdominal surgeries in group 1 patients were open and they were major in 42 and/or minor in 39. An additional 6 patients in group 1 received prior abdominal radiation overlapping the planned surgical field. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were noted between the groups in any parameter assessed, including operative time, blood loss, time to first oral intake, hospital stay or the complication rate (p >0.05). There were no enterotomies in either group. There were no open conversions in group 1, while there were 2 in group 2 (renal vein injury and splenorrhaphy secondary to lymphoma, respectively). Pathological findings showed malignancy in 57 cases (renal cell carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, carcinoid disease and metastases) and benign disease in 21 (oncocytoma, adenoma, pyelonephritis and complex cysts). All margins were negative except in 1 group patient with carcinoma in situ at the bladder cuff margin. CONCLUSIONS: The retroperitoneoscopic approach to the kidney and adrenal glands can be used in patients with extensive prior open abdominal surgery and/or radiation without significant increases in morbidity or convalescence.