Single-site port robotic-assisted simple nephrectomy (LESS)

Introduction: Minimally invasive surgery in urology is rapidly advancing and Laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) is not the exception. Such laparoscopic procedures are technically challenging and require an experienced laparoscopic surgeon due to the lack of port placement triangulation and instrument clashing. The benefit of the da Vinci surgical system has recently introduced to LESS. We present two cases of robotic LESS nephrectomy. Matherials and Methods: Two patients, a female of 23 years old, diagnosed with right renal atrophy secondary to chronic pyelonephritis and one male patient with diagnosis of left staghorn calculi and renal atrophy. Both underwent to a total nephrectomy assisted by the da Vinci S surgical system through a single port incision using the GelPoint (R) access system. Results: The first surgery was performed without incidents or conversion. The second patient required the installation of an additional robotic port for triangulation. The dock time and the mean operative time was 18 and 110 min. The mean estimated blood loss was 100 cc and the hospital stay was 27 hours. There were no complications. Conclusions: LESS robotic surgery is feasible using current robotic systems. However, there are several limitations. The design of specific technology for the use of the robot through single incision can solve this problem.