Retroperitoneoscopy: a laparoscopic approach for adrenal and renal surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Retroperitoneoscopy has gained acceptance for urologic surgery. We assessed the safety and efficacy of this procedure for renal and adrenal surgery. METHODS: Since December 1994, 20 patients (18 to 75 years old) have undergone laparoscopic adrenalectomy and nephrectomy, including simple nephrectomy in 8, partial nephrectomy in 1, radical nephrectomy in 2, tumorectomy with cyst excision in 1, and adrenalectomy in 8. The retroperitoneal space was created by blunt dissection with the index finger, completed by insufflation, without balloon dissection. RESULTS: Average kidney size was 65 m (range 50 to 108), and average adrenal tumor size was 31 mm (range 20 to 40). The average operating time was 127 minutes (range 60 to 180) for nephrectomy and 84 minutes (range 45 to 140) for adrenalectomy. The average hospital stay was 3 days (range 1 to 7) for nephrectomy and 2.4 days (range 1 to 4) for adrenalectomy. Average blood loss was 65 mL for both nephrectomy and adrenalectomy. Conversion from the laparoscopic procedure to open surgery was never required. Peritoneal effraction and ureteral injury occurred in only 4 patients and 1 patient, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The laparoscopic retroperitoneal approach is safe and effective for simple renal nephrectomy and for excision of small adrenal tumors. Perioperative morbidity and hospital stay are reduced.

Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: preliminary results.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate our preliminary experience with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The indications for laparoscopy are currently being extended to complex oncologic procedures. METHODS: Forty-three men underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. We used five trocars. The surgical technique replicates the steps of traditional retropubic prostatectomy, except that the rectoprostatic cleavage plane is developed transperitoneally at the beginning of the procedure. In the first 10 patients, we performed the vesicourethral reconstruction with interrupted sutures; in the remaining 33 patients, we performed it with two hemicircumferential running sutures. The specimen was removed through the umbilical port site. RESULTS: Once the developmental phase with the first 10 patients was concluded, the median operating time was 4.3 hours without pelvic lymphadenectomy, and the median postoperative bladder catheterization was 4 days. Two (4.7%) of 43 patients underwent transfusion. Twelve patients (27.9%) had positive surgical margins; all patients had a postoperative prostate-specific antigen level of less than 0.1 ng/mL at 1 month. Rectal injury occurred in 1 patient, requiring colostomy, and 4 patients had urethrovesical anastomotic leakages requiring surgical repair. One month postoperatively, 36 patients (84%) were fully continent (no leakage). Six patients had had erections, and four stated they had had sexual intercourse. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy has evolved to a fully standardized and reproducible procedure. The short-term oncologic and functional efficacy rates are equivalent to those for open surgery. The operating time is reasonable once the learning curve is over, and postoperative morbidity is diminished. Because of the improved visual accuracy, permitting more precise dissection, this technique has the potential to become an important advancement in urologic surgery.

Extraperitoneal laparoscopic repair of ureteropelvic junction obstruction: initial experience in 15 cases.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility and results of retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty in the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction. METHODS: From September 1996 to January 1999, 15 patients underwent extraperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Aberrant vessels were noted in 4 patients. Dismembered pyeloplasty was performed in 7 patients and nondismembered Fenger plasty in 7 patients. Pyeloplasty was not possible in 1 patient. RESULTS: Fourteen of the 15 procedures were successfully completed. The procedure was not possible in 1 patient who had already undergone endopyelotomy repair. The mean operating time was 178 minutes (range 100 to 250), and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.8 days (range 1 to 14). Postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients (two hematomas and one urinoma). Radiographic assessment by intravenous urography 3 months after the procedure showed good results. CONCLUSIONS: Retroperitoneoscopy, by providing easy and rapid access to the retroperitoneal space, seems to be a valuable alternative treatment for ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

Results of retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: To analyze the retroperitoneal approach to laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in terms of feasibility, safety, morbidity, and cancer control. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 50 consecutive patients with renal cancer underwent radical nephrectomy via the retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach from 1995 through 1999. RESULTS: The mean operative time was 139 minutes (range 60-330 minutes) with a mean of 149.78-mL operative blood loss (0-1500 mL). The mean renal size was 100 mm (70-150 mm) with a mean tumor size of 38.6 mm (20-90 mm). The postoperative hospital was 6 days (2-13 days). Three open conversions were necessary: one for laparoscopically uncontrolled bleeding and two because obesity interfered with surgery. We noted two major complication and two minor complications. Two disease progression have been noted to date. One patient with a pT3 grade 2 renal-cell carcinoma had a local recurrence with liver metastasis 9 months after the procedure and died 19.7 months after radical nephrectomy. Another patient with a pT3aN+M+ cancer died 23.1 months after the procedure. CONCLUSION: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy for kidney cancer requires further assessment. It seems to have several advantages over open radical nephrectomy and to be effective and safe for small (<50-mm) renal tumors.

Vesicourethral anastomosis during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: the running suture method.

Vesicourethral reconstruction is the most critical and time-consuming step of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. We describe the use of two hemicircumferential running sutures that has significantly simplified the procedure in our last 30 patients. The vesicourethral reconstruction took 31 minutes on average. Six months postoperatively, 84% of the patients were fully continent, and no bladder neck stenosis had occurred. The economy of intracorporeal suturing provided by this novel method, together with geometric factors such as the optimal position of the trocars, contributes to the improvement of ergonomy, allowing the surgeon to decrease operating times.

[Pneumococcal postoperative endophthalmitis]. / Endophtalmies post-opératoires à pneumocoques.

Three cases of pneumococcal endophthalmitis proven by paracentesis and direct bacteriologic evaluation were studied. Cultures were positive for pneumococcus in two the three cases. The fulminant course, and poor visual outcome emphasize the urgency of proper diagnosis by microscopic identification, and of intra-vitreal of injection of antibiotics sometimes associated with vitrectomy. Subconjunctival gentamicin commonly used in ophthalmologic surgery as prophylactic treatment, is often not effective against pneumococcus. It seems advisable to associate subconjunctival chloramphenicol with the gentamicin to help prevent this bacterial infection.

[Treatment of cervico-prostatic obstruction by endoscopic incision of the prostate. Apropos of 16 patients]. / Traitement de l'obstruction cervico-prostatique par incision endoscopique de prostate. A propos de seize malades.

Several teams over recent years have proposed deep transurethral incision of the prostate as treatment for obstructive symptoms secondary to primary bladder neck sclerosis or to a small prostatic adenoma. We have performed this technique in 16 patients over a period of 9 months: 9 cases of primary bladder neck sclerosis and 7 prostatic adenomas weighing less than 20 grams. There were no post-operative complications. This technique was definitely effective on the dysuria with 93% good results at 6 months. The preservation of post-operative anterograde ejaculation was less certain; 27% of our patients developed post-operative retrograde ejaculation. The indication for TUI amongst the other available surgical techniques depends on a rigorous pre-operative assessment evaluating the size and the nature of the obstruction. It is a remarkably simple technique which effectively cures the dysuria. It also markedly decreases the risk of retrograde ejaculation. As this complication is difficult to predict, the patients should be informed of the risks prior to the operation.

[Pelvic lymphatic excision using laparoscopy. Its value in the staging of tumors of the bladder]. / Curage ganglionnaire pelvien par voie coelioscopique. Intérêt dans le bilan d'extension des tumeurs de vessie.

Laparoscopic surgical procedures are being evaluated in urologic diseases including bladder cancer. Patients with apparently localized tumors may have lymph node involvement indicating disseminated disease for which locoregional treatments are inadequate. Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy may be useful for staging, since neither noninvasive procedures nor intraoperative examination of lymph nodes removed during cystectomy are completely reliable. The technique is described in detail. Benefits in bladder cancer patients remain to be determined.

[Results of the treatment of bladder tumors infiltrating the muscle]. / Résultats du traitement des tumeurs vésicales infiltrant le muscle.

Recent studies have shown improvements in survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer, perhaps as a result of stage selection and reduced perioperative morbidity rather than of increased effectiveness of treatments. The main ongoing therapeutic trials (combined use of chemotherapy with either surgery or radiation therapy) aim at controlling occult metastases which may be present in up to 50% of apparently localized bladder cancers. Identification of risk factors for metastatic disease is therefore crucial. In this study, factors potentially associated with response to treatment were analyzed on the basis of a review of outcomes reported with current treatments.

[Nephrectomy in a living donor by retroperitoneal laparoscopy or lomboscopy]. / Prélèvement rénal chez le donneur vivant par voie laparoscopique rétropéritonéale ou lomboscopie.

INTRODUCTION: The advantages of laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy are now well documented. This new approach can lower donor morbidity and could stimulate living related organ donation. We described our original operative technique and report our preliminary results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since 1998, we have used the retroperitoneal laparoscopy in tree related living donors. Advantages and inconvenient of this new surgical procedure were discussed with each donors and inform consent obtained. The left kidney was harvested in the three cases. RESULTS: The operative time was inferior to 280 minutes, warm ischemia less than five minutes and bleeding less than 150 mL. Patients were discharged between the 2nd and 3rd post-operative days. CONCLUSION: Retroperitoneal laparoscopy is a valuable alternative in transplant centres with skilled laparoscopic surgeons.

[Cystic cancer of the kidney]. / Les cancers kystiques du rein.

Four cases of cystic renal adenocarcinoma in adults free of renal dysfunction are reported. The authors propose a diagnostic approach for atypical cysts that takes the new imaging techniques into account (ultrasonography and CT scan initially, MRI subsequently). A practical therapeutic strategy is also described: because intraoperative histologic diagnosis is difficult partial nephrectomy to allow an intraoperative study of the entire cyst is advocated; extensive nephrectomy, which is the only procedure that ensures total exeresis of the carcinoma, is performed either immediately if the intraoperative study of the cyst or of its aseptic necrotic and hemorrhagic content is positive, or later if subsequent histologic studies reveal a malignancy.

[Conservative treatment of bladder epitheliomas by partial cystectomy and iridium-192 curietherapy]. / Traitement conservateur des épithéliomas vésicaux par cystectomie partielle et endocuriethérapie par iridium 192.

From 1971 to 1979, 55 patients were treated for bladder cancer at the Henri-Mondor Hospital using a treatment protocol combining low dose pre-operative external beam radiation followed by iliac node dissection, limited partial cystectomy (or sometimes for T1 tumors, a trans-urethral resection) and curietherapy with iridium 192. The 5 year disease free survival was 37/55 (67%). The rate of local recurrences plus second tumors within the bladder was 16% (9/55). These results are compared with other conservative modalities of treatment of bladder cancer.

[Results of treatment of superficial vesical tumors by transurethral resection alone and transurethral resection followed by an intravesical instillation of Calmette-Guerin bacillus]. / Résultat du traitement des tumeurs superficielles de la vessie par résection transuréthrale seule et résection transuréthrale suivie d'instillation endovésicale de bacille Calmette-Guérin.

Superficial bladder tumors treated at the Henri Mondor Hospital from 1984 through 1988 were analyzed for recurrence and progression using the following prognostic parameters: stage (TNM classification, 1978), grade (G1, G2, G3), size, number of tumors, and tumor malignancy index as defined by the Besançon group. Forty-five patients were treated with transurethral resection alone (TUR group) whereas 30 had TUR followed by the prophylactic instillation of fresh Calmette-Guérin bacillus in the bladder (BCG group). In TUR patients, parameters predictive of progression included grade G3, multiple tumors, stage T1, recurrence within 6 months of TUR, and a tumor malignancy index above 455. None of these criteria were predictive of a response to BCG. Results obtained in the BCG group were comparable to those reported in the literature and confirmed the efficacy of BCG instillations to prevent recurrence and progression of superficial carcinomas of the bladder.

[Laparoscopically-controlled lymphadenectomy in localized cancer of the prostate]. / La lymphadénectomie sous contrôle coelioscopique dans le cancer localisé de prostate.

Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy was performed among 15 patients. The average age was 65.5 years. The group was made of 13 T2 and 2 T3. The average time of procedure was 175 min (90 à 240 min). The average number of lymph nodes removed laparoscopically from these patients was 5.3 on the left and 6.4 on the right. Metastatic nodes were found in 5 cases (33%) and among all these 5 patients the PSA level was above 30 and/or the Gleason score > 6. We noticed 3 major complications (2 bowel and 1 vascular injuries). Radical prostatectomy was made in 8 patients and nevertheless this intervention did not become more difficult. As a conclusion, this is a procedure which allows a good node staging but the complication rate is still high and will decrease with experience. The merits of such a method are still to be evaluated in localized prostatic cancer.

[Remote laparoscopic radical prostatectomy carried out with a robot. Report of a case]. / Prostatectomie radicale laparoscopique réalisée à distance par robot. A propos d'un cas.

Robotics has been commonly employed in numerous industrial fields for several decades. However, the application of this technology to surgery is a recent innovation. It provides new possibilities for facilitating specific surgical tasks, especially in the field of laparoscopy. We report a case of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy completed with the help of a remotely controlled da Vinci robot. This system offered a user friendly surgical platform and enhanced surgical dexterity. Operating time was 420 minutes and the hospital stay was 4 days. The bladder catheter was removed after 3 days. One week later, the patient was fully continent. Pathologic examination showed a pT3a tumor, with negative margins. Robotically assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is feasible. Further developments in this field of technology may have new applications in laparoscopic telesurgery.

[Clinical results of a multicenter study of Haemophilus infection]. / Résultats cliniques de l'enquête multicentrique sur l'infection a Haemophilus.

2379 cases of infections due to Haemophilus are reported in a one year long French multicenter study. There were 1368 low respiratory and 540 high respiratory infections, 22 epiglottitis, 86 meningitis, and 68 septicemia (bacteremia). Four hundred and one times, we considered that the bacteria was not the cause of the infection. For each type of infection, we studied the distribution according to the age, the sex and the period of the year, the eventual associations and the involved serotypes. The lethality was low (22), mainly due to a particular deficiency. At last, we compared the different methods to obtain the pathologic products from the upper bronchial tract.

Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: preliminary results.

BACKGROUND: Retropubic and perineal radical prostatectomy are used for curative treatment of localized prostate cancer. More complex urological procedures are now being done with laparoscopy. We present our initial results of transperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty laparoscopic radical prostatectomies were performed between May 1998 and May 1999. The mean age at the time of surgery was 64.2 years. There were 14 stage T1c, 5 stage T2a and 1 stage T2b tumors. The preoperative PSA was 9. 3 ng/ml (normal <4 ng/ml). The Gleason score for positive specimens in 6 random echo-guided endorectal biopsies was 5.7. Four trocars were used. Insufflation pressure was 15 mmHg. The seminal vesicles were first dissected. The prostate was dissected free from the anterior face of the rectum to the prostate apex. Then the peritoneum was incised to find the apex of the prostate. The puboprostatic ligaments were isolated and cut, and the dorsal vein complex was ligated and cut to expose the urethra. The bladder neck was opened and dissected free from the prostate. The lateral pedicles were coagulated before sectioning the urethra. The radical prostatectomy specimen was left along the sigmoid colon, the bladder neck was reconstructed, and a urethrovesical anastomosis was performed with 6 interrupted sutures. The prostatectomy specimen was removed intact in a sack by enlarging the umbilical trocar port. All the prostatectomy specimens were processed according to the Standford protocol. Prostate weight, tumor weight, the Gleason score, and the tumor status of the capsule, seminal vesicles, lymph nodes and surgical margins were studied. RESULTS: The operating time was 385 min. Two patients were transfused. The mean hospital stay was 7. 8 days. The Foley catheter was removed 10.7 days after the operation. Specimen weight was 61 (28-126) g, the Gleason score was 5.9, and tumor volume was 1.4 ml. There were 18 stage pT2, 1 stage pTa (capsular effraction) and 1 stage pT3b (seminal vesicle invasion) tumors. There were four positive surgical margins (2 at the apex and 2 at the bladder neck). All the patients had a postoperative PSA level <0.1 ng/ml at 1 month. The first patient had urethrovesical anastomotic leakage, and required Foley catheterization for 21 days. There was 1 colostomy for rectal injury and 1 urinoma because of urethrovesical anastomotic leakage that required an open surgical procedure. One month after surgery, 15 (75%) patients were fully continent. Six patients had erections, and 5 stated having sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results show that radical prostatectomy can be performed laparoscopically. Laparoscopy offered excellent vision of all the anatomical structures of the pelvis, permitting precise dissection. Long-term follow-up and further studies are required to confirm and improve these results.

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic versus open radical nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: We analyze the retroperitoneal approach to laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in regard to feasibility, safety, morbidity and cancer control, and compare results and outcomes in patients who underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic or open radical nephrectomy from 1995 to 1998. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 58 consecutive patients with renal cancer who underwent radical nephrectomy from 1995 through 1998 were reviewed. Of the patients 29 underwent open radical nephrectomy (group 1) and 29 underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (group 2). Various parameters were compared and statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: The 2 groups were similar in regard to age, gender and side of the tumor. Operative time was slightly shorter in group 1 (mean 121.4 versus 145 minutes in group 2, p = 0.047). Mean tumor size plus or minus standard deviation was larger in group 1 (5.71 +/- 2.01 versus 4.02 +/- 1.87 cm. in group 2). Group 2 patients had significantly less operative blood loss (mean 100.0 versus 284.5 ml. in group 1, p < 0.005) and used significantly less parenteral pain medication (p < 0.05). Postoperative hospital stay was significantly longer in group 1 (9.7 +/- 3.6 versus 4.8 +/- 2.0 days in group 2, p < 0.001), and the complication rate was higher (24 versus 8%, respectively). One group 1 patient died of renal cancer (pT2G2) after 14 months and local recurrence with hepatic metastasis occurred after 9 months in a group 2 patient with a pT3G2 tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy for kidney cancer requires further assessment. It seems to have several advantages over open radical nephrectomy, and to be effective and safe for less than 50 cm. renal tumors but a risk of spillage cannot be ruled out for larger tumors.

Partial nephrectomy with retroperitoneal laparoscopy.

PURPOSE: Laparoscopy has gradually gained acceptance for a variety of ablative procedures of the retroperitoneal organs, and the indications are being extended to more complex reconstructive and organ preserving procedures. We report our experience with retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy was performed for benign conditions in 6, equivocal solid masses in 4 and indeterminate cysts in 3 patients. If malignancy was suspected, laparoscopic sonography was used to assess the intrarenal anatomy and the mass. To facilitate parenchymal closure during nephron sparing surgery we used a hemostatic biological glue that consisted of gelatin, resorcinol and formaldehyde. RESULTS: Average operating time was 113 minutes and average blood loss was 72 ml. Histological examination revealed malignancy in 1 of the 3 cystic lesions and 2 of the 4 equivocal solid masses. There were 2 postoperative urinomas. CONCLUSIONS: Partial nephrectomy with retroperitoneal laparoscopy is feasible, and has a reasonable operating time and blood loss. Laparoscopic ultrasound was an important decision making aid during surgery. The use of biological glue simplified hemostasis and closure of the collecting system but good quality drainage of the collecting system is still required to decrease the risk of urinoma. The development of surgical tools that allow bloodless and nontraumatic section of the renal parenchyma is required to facilitate laparoscopic nephron sparing surgery. The ultrasonic scalpel needs further evaluation in this setting.