Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center, in Philadelphia, PA have found that robotic assisted kidney cancer surgery performed by experienced surgeons at high-volume centers have more beneficial outcomes compared to open surgery. The study, authored by Fox Chase robotic surgeon Rosalia Viterbo, MD, was just presented at the American Urological Association's Annual Meeting, a Fox Chase press release reports.

Standard treatment for kidney cancer is surgical removal of either the entire kidney or partial removal called--nephron-sparing surgery, or partial nephrectomy. The surgery is commonly performed as traditional open surgery. While much interest has developed in applying a laparoscopic approach for the surgery, technical challenges have been problematic.

However high volume centers such as Fox Chase with experienced laparoscopic surgeons are now using the da Vinci® robot assisted surgical system for patients with kidney cancer, or renal cell carcinoma. The system's advanced technology has led to faster and better technical proficiency in completion of complex surgical procedures, facilitating a minimally invasive approach for partial nephrectomy.
"Our patients have experienced many benefits from the robot assisted approach, including shorter hospital stays (average 3 days), preserved kidney function (reduced need for dialysis), smaller scars with optimal cosmetic results, lower blood loss and easier and earlier return to normal activity," Dr. Viterbo said.

The faster recovery means patients do not experience delay the next step in their treatment plan, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, stopping the disease from progressing as fast.

As an example, one patient at Fox Chase had renal cell carcinoma in the right kidney and cystic renal cell carcinoma in the left. Dr. Viterbo performed a partial nephrectomy on each kidney eight weeks apart with the da Vinci robot. The laparoscopic approach allowed the surgeon to reach the kidney through 4 tiny holes in the patient's abdomen. By comparison, open surgery would have required one large incision in the back and a longer time wait time for the second surgery. Ninety percent of the right kidney was saved and two-thirds of the left kidney.

Dr. Viterbo further commented, "Results of the study show robot assisted partial nephrectomy to be a safe and technically feasible minimally invasive approach to kidney sparing surgery."

Adapted from a press release by Fox Chase Cancer Center.

See related story on guidance from AUA at:
https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/8937.

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