The initial experience of robot-assisted nephron-sparing surgery in patients with renal cell cancer

Abstract

Purpose of the study: analysis of our experience in performing robotic-assisted nephron-sparing surgeries using the da robotic system. Material and Methods. The retrospective study included the first 37 consecutive patients who underwent robot-assisted partial nephrectomy from May 2020 to december 2022. Results. To assess the surgical outcomes in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy, three parameters associated with trifecta achievement were analyzed. The trifecta was assessed according to the standard criteria, whereas the quadfecta, which in addition to the trifecta included preservation of >90 % of the glomerular filtration rate (calculated according to Cockroft–Gault) in the postoperative period (3–7 days), did not assess the stage of chronic renal failure one year after surgery, thus probably demonstrating the high percentage of its achievement (54.1 %). A positive surgical margin was observed in 1 (2.7 %) patients. Warm ischemia time of more than 25 minutes was used in 8 patients (21.6 %). Complications in the postoperative period (Clavien–dindo II and higher) were observed in 1 (2.7 %) patient. Trifecta and quadfecta rates were 78.4 % and 54.1 %, respectively. To analyze the surgeons’ experience, 37 renal cell cancer patients were divided into two subgroups with first 20 and subsequent robotic partial nephrectomies. There were no differences in gender, age and calculated RENAL value between 2 subgroups. depending on the surgeons’ experience, statistically significant differences in the duration of surgery (p=0.035) and blood loss during surgery (p=0.007) were found. Conclusion. Considering the extensive experience of surgeons in the field of laparoscopic surgery for tumors of the renal parenchyma, the outcomes of robotic partial nephrectomies performed in 37 patients seem to be satisfactory and successful. The accumulated experience of surgeons after 20 robotic-assisted nephron-sparing surgeries makes it possible to significantly reduce surgery time and blood loss. The technique of robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy requires further improvements.