Abstract

Hitoshi Yanaihara, Fuminari Hanashima, Koichiro Ogihara, Hirofumi Kaguyama, Hirofumi Sakamoto, Kayo Aonuma, Kaori Matsuda,Yoko Nakahira and Hirotaka Asakura

Review cases in which laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed for atrophic kidney due to serious infection with an emphasis on procedural details and complications. Data from 15 patients who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy for atrophic kidney due to serious infection between November 2007 and March 2013 were reviewed. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon at our institution. Atransperitoneal approach was used in 14 patients and drainage tubes were placed in the renal fossa following nephrectomy in 10 patients. The tubes were removed on the first postoperative day in 9 patients. Postoperative antibiotic therapy was required in 1 patient, but all procedures were completed without requiring a blood transfusion. No conversions to an open surgical procedure were required, and there were no serious complications in any of the patients. The pneumoperitoneum time and blood loss of the patients were 126.5±58.8 min (range, 61–261 min) and 37.7±81.2 mL (range, 0–300 mL), respectively. Contrary to reports from previous studies, threat of blood transfusion and conversion to open surgery in patients undergoing laparoscopic nephrectomy for atrophic kidney due to serious infection was low in our study. With technological advances, the benefits of laparoscopic management increasingly outweigh the difficulties of this procedure. Laparoscopic nephrectomy for infectious conditions is an acceptable alternative to open nephrectomy when selected with appropriate preparation and forethought