Abstract
Background and Purpose
: One of the most challenging aspects of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is achieving adequate control of bleeding from the tumor bed. We report our initial experience with laparoscopic nephron-sparing surgery using the TissueLink™ floating-ball radiofrequency dissector.
Patients and Methods
: From March 2002 to April 2003, we performed 14 purely laparoscopic nephron-sparing nephrectomies using the floating-ball device on 11 patients.
Results
: The mean operative time was 124 minutes (range 90–210 minutes). The mean estimated blood loss was 168 mL (range 20–600 mL). One patient had a small urine leak and was sent home with the drain in place.
Conclusions
: We successfully treated 14 small renal lesions using the TissueLink floating-ball device. The procedure was performed in an expeditious fashion with minimal blood loss. Long-term follow-up is required to determine the oncologic efficacy.
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