Monish Aron

Transumbilical Single-Port Surgery: Evolution and Current Status

CONTEXT Single-port transumbilical laparoscopy, also known as embryonic natural orifice transumbilical endoscopic surgery (E-NOTES), has emerged as an attempt to further enhance cosmetic benefits and reduce morbidity of minimally invasive surgery. Within a short span, several clinical reports have emerged in the urologic literature. As this field is poised to move forward, a complete understanding of its evolution and current status is timely. OBJECTIVE To summarize and review the history of E-NOTES across surgical disciplines. This review emphasizes nomenclature, surgical technique, instrumentation, and perioperative outcomes. Specific urological and nonurological applications of single-port surgery to date are summarized. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Using the National Library of Medicine database, the English-language literature was reviewed for the past 40 yr. Keyword searches included: scarless, scar free, single port/trocar/incision, intraumbilical, and transumbilical. Within the bibliography of selected references, additional sources were retrieved. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS The gynecologic and general surgical literature includes approximately 19 papers fulfilling the search criteria, encompassing extirpative procedures only. The urologic literature contains eight published reports of single-trocar transumbilical procedures. These reports are summarized in a chronological manner and grouped by subject. No prospective studies comparing outcomes to standard laparoscopy have been reported. Technical feasibility has been demonstrated for a broad range of extirpative and reconstructive procedures on the upper and lower urinary tracts, including simple and radical nephrectomy, donor nephrectomy, renal cryotherapy, pyeloplasty, ileal ureteral replacement, sacrocolpopexy, and varicocelectomy. CONCLUSIONS E-NOTES has made its initial forays into laparoscopic surgery. Ongoing refinement in technique and instrumentation is likely to expand its future role.

Single-Port Laparoscopic Surgery in Urology: Initial Experience

OBJECTIVES To present our initial experience with single-port laparoscopic urologic surgery using the Uni-X Single Port Access Laparoscopic System, a single port, multichannel cannula, with specially designed curved laparoscopic instrumentation. METHODS We performed single-port laparoscopic surgery in 10 patients, including renal cryotherapy in 4, wedge kidney biopsy in 1, radical nephrectomy in 1, and abdominal sacrocolpopexy in 4. For the transperitoneal approach, the multichannel port was inserted transumbilically, and for retroperitoneoscopy, the port was inserted at the tip of the 12th rib. Data were collected prospectively into our institutional review board-approved data registry. RESULTS Since September 25, 2007, a total of 10 patients have undergone single-port laparoscopic surgery for various upper abdominal and pelvic pathologic findings. All cases were completed successfully, without conversion to a standard laparoscopic approach. The total operative time for the various kidney procedures was 2.5 hours (range 2 to 3.2) and was 2.5 hours (range 2 to 3) for sacrocolpopexy. The mean blood loss was 100 mL for the renal procedures and 90 mL for sacrocolpopexy. The hospital stay was 2.8 days (range 1 to 8) for the kidney procedures and 2 days for sacrocolpopexy. One complication occurred in a patient with baseline congestive heart failure who underwent cryoablation and required oxygen mask ventilation postoperatively that delayed her hospital discharge for 1 week. The same patient, who was anemic preoperatively, was transfused with 3 U of packed red blood cells, although the postoperative computed tomography scan revealed a small perinephric hematoma. CONCLUSIONS Single-port laparoscopic renal cryotherapy, wedge kidney biopsy, radical nephrectomy, and abdominal sacrocolpopexy are safe and feasible. Additional experience and continued investigation are warranted.

Scarless single port transumbilical nephrectomy and pyeloplasty: first clinical report

Associate Editor

Single port transumbilical (E-NOTES) donor nephrectomy.

PURPOSE We present the initial 4 patients undergoing single port transumbilical live donor nephrectomy. Scar-free abdominal surgery via natural body orifices is called NOTES (natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery). In a similar manner the umbilicus, an embryonic (E) natural orifice, permits abdominal access with hidden scar of entry. We propose the term E-NOTES for embryonic natural orifice transumbilical endoscopic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS Through an intra-umbilical incision a novel single access tri-lumen R-port was inserted into the abdomen. No extra-umbilical skin incisions were made whatsoever. A 2 mm Veress needle port, inserted via skin needle puncture to establish pneumoperitoneum, was used to selectively insert a needlescopic grasper for tissue retraction. Donor kidney was pre-entrapped and extracted transumbilically. RESULTS E-NOTES donor nephrectomy was successful in all 4 patients. Median operating time was 3.3 hours, blood loss was 50 cc, warm ischemia time was 6.2 minutes and hospital stay was 3 days. Median length of harvested renal artery was 3.3 cm, renal vein 4 cm and ureter 15 cm. No intraoperative complications occurred. Donor visual analog scores were 0/10 at 2 weeks. Each allograft functioned immediately on transplantation. CONCLUSIONS The initial experience with E-NOTES donor nephrectomy is encouraging. Excellent donor vascular and tissue dissection could be performed, and a quality donor kidney was retrieved transumbilically without any extra-umbilical skin incision. E-NOTES donor nephrectomy appears to have relevance and promise, especially for this typically younger, altruistic population. Natural orifices present an unprecedented opportunity for scar-free surgery.

Laparoendoscopic Single-site Surgery: Initial Hundred Patients

OBJECTIVES To report our initial experience with laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) surgery in 100 patients in urology. METHODS Between October 2007 and December 2008, we performed LESS urologic procedures in 100 patients for various indications. These included nephrectomy (N = 34; simple 14, radical 3, donor 17), nephroureterectomy (N = 2), partial nephrectomy (N = 6), pyeloplasty (N = 17), transvesical simple prostatectomy (N = 32), and others (N = 9). Data were prospectively collected in a database approved by the Institutional Review Board. All procedures were performed using a novel single-port device (r-Port) and a varying combination of standard and specialized bent/articulating laparoscopic instruments. Robotic assistance was used to perform LESS pyeloplasty (N = 2) and simple prostatectomy (N = 1). In addition to standard perioperative data, we obtained data on postdischarge analgesia requirements, time to complete convalescence, and time to return to work. RESULTS In the study period, LESS procedures accounted for 15% of all laparoscopic cases by the authors for similar indications. Conversion to standard multiport laparoscopy was necessary in 3 cases, addition of a single 5-mm port was necessary in 3 cases, and conversion to open surgery was necessary in 4 cases. On death occurred following simple prostatectomy in a Jehovahs Witness due to patient refusal to accept transfusion following hemorrhage. Intra- and postoperative complications occurred in 5 and 9 cases, respectively. Mean operative time was 145, 230, 236, and 113 minutes and hospital stay was 2, 2.9, 2, and 3 days for simple nephrectomy, donor nephrectomy, pyeloplasty, and simple prostatectomy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The LESS surgery is technically feasible for a variety of ablative and reconstructive applications in urology. With proper patient selection, conversion and complications rates are low. Improvement in instrumentation and technology is likely to expand the role of LESS in minimally invasive urology.

Antibiotic prophylaxis for transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate: a randomized controlled study

Objectives To determine the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on infective complications after transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate.

Consensus statement of the consortium for laparoendoscopic single-site surgery

Inderbir S. Gill • Arnold P. Advincula • Monish Aron • Jeffrey Caddedu • David Canes • Paul G. Curcillo II • Mihir M. Desai • John C. Evanko • Tomasso Falcone • Victor Fazio • Matthew Gettman • Andrew A. Gumbs • Georges-Pascal Haber • Jihad H. Kaouk • Fernando Kim • Stephanie A. King • Jeffrey Ponsky • Feza Remzi • Homero Rivas • Alexander Rosemurgy • Sharona Ross • Philip Schauer • Rene Sotelo • Jose Speranza • John Sweeney • Julio Teixeira

Small Renal Mass

A 65-year-old man with a history of well-controlled hypertension presents for a follow-up visit after an incidental finding of a small mass in the right kidney on an abdominal computed tomographic scan (ordered to evaluate lower-quadrant pain, which has since resolved). The mass is 3.2 cm, anterior, heterogeneous, and solid, and is in the right renal hilum near the main renal artery, vein, and ureter; the left kidney appears normal. The patient feels well, his physical examination is unremarkable. His serum creatinine level is 1.2 mg per deciliter. How should this patient be further evaluated and treated?

800 Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomies: A Single Surgeon Series

PURPOSE We hypothesized that from 1999 to 2008 patient and tumor selection criteria, perioperative outcomes, complications and renal function outcomes may have evolved significantly in 800 laparoscopic partial nephrectomies. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively divided 800 patients who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for tumor, as done by 1 surgeon, into 3 chronologic eras, including era 1-276 from September 1999 to December 2003, era 2-289 from January 2004 to December 2006 and era 3-235 from January 2007 through November 2008. We evaluated prospectively collected data on tumor characteristics, perioperative outcomes and renal function outcomes. RESULTS When comparing eras 1 to 3, tumors in the most recent era were larger, more commonly 4 cm or greater, and central, and less often peripheral and less than 4 cm (each p value significant). Despite increasing tumor complexity warm ischemia time was shorter (31.9, 31.6 and 14.4 minutes, respectively, p <0.0001), and the overall rates of postoperative and urological complications were significantly lower in the most recent era. The rate of parenchymal margins positive for cancer was 1%, 1% and 0.6%, respectively. Renal function outcomes were superior in era 3, as reflected by a lesser decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (18%, 20% and 11%, respectively). In the 744 patients with pathologically confirmed malignancy 5-year overall, cancer specific and recurrence-free survival was 90%, 99% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS During our 9-year experience with 800 consecutive laparoscopic partial nephrectomies tumor characteristics and surgical outcomes evolved. Despite increasing tumor complexity in contemporary practice 3 key outcomes of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy improved significantly, including ischemia time, complications and renal function. We now routinely offer laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for most tumors hitherto reserved for open nephron sparing surgery.

Zero Ischemia Anatomical Partial Nephrectomy: A Novel Approach

PURPOSE We present a novel concept of zero ischemia anatomical robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Our technique primarily involves anatomical vascular microdissection and preemptive control of tumor specific, tertiary or higher order renal arterial branch(es) using neurosurgical aneurysm micro-bulldog clamps. In 58 consecutive patients the majority (70%) had anatomically complex tumors including central (67%), hilar (26%), completely intrarenal (23%), pT1b (18%) and solitary kidney (7%). Data were prospectively collected and analyzed from an institutional review board approved database. RESULTS Of 58 cases undergoing zero ischemia robotic (15) or laparoscopic (43) partial nephrectomy, 57 (98%) were completed without hilar clamping. Mean tumor size was 3.2 cm, mean ± SD R.E.N.A.L. score 7.0 ± 1.9, C-index 2.9 ± 2.4, operative time 4.4 hours, blood loss 206 cc and hospital stay 3.9 days. There were no intraoperative complications. Postoperative complications (22.8%) were low grade (Clavien grade 1 to 2) in 19.3% and high grade (Clavien grade 3 to 5) in 3.5%. All patients had negative cancer surgical margins (100%). Mean absolute and percent change in preoperative vs 4-month postoperative serum creatinine (0.2 mg/dl, 18%), estimated glomerular filtration rate (-11.4 ml/minute/1.73 m(2), 13%), and ipsilateral kidney function on radionuclide scanning at 6 months (-10%) correlated with mean percent kidney excised intraoperatively (18%). Although 21% of patients received a perioperative blood transfusion, no patient had acute or delayed renal hemorrhage, or lost a kidney. CONCLUSIONS The concept of zero ischemia robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is presented. This anatomical vascular microdissection of the artery first and then tumor allows even complex tumors to be excised without hilar clamping. Global surgical renal ischemia is unnecessary for the majority of patients undergoing robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy at our institution.