The authors, six years after the first laparoscopic nephrectomy by Clayman and five years after their own first case in Italy, review the literature and their personal experience in 39 cases. In their opinion, today's situation can be summed up by the conclusion that laparoscopic nephrectomy for benign disease is a safe, reproducible, cost-effective procedure and can be recommended as the procedure of choice for young ladies with a small, afunctional kidney. The same is not true for malignant diseases which, in the authors’ opinion, must be a matter for prospective, randomised and well-controlled clinical trials in reference centres.
GaurD.D.: Laparoscopic operative retroperitoneoscopy. J. Urol., 149: 1137, 1992.
7.
RassweilerJ., HenkelT.P., StockC., GreschnerM., BecherP., PremingerG.M., SchulmanC.C., FredeT., AlkenP.: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy and other procedures in the upper retroperitoneum using a balloon dissection technique. Eur. Urol., 25: 229, 1994.
8.
GaurD.D., AgarwalD.K., PurohitK.C.: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy: initial case report. J. Urol., 149: 103, 1993.
9.
SchiffM.S., GlazierW.B.: Nephrectomy: indications and complications in 347 patients. J. Urol., 118: 930, 1977.
10.
KerblK., ClaymanR.V., Mc DougallE.M., GillI.S., WilsonB.S., ChandhokeP.S., AbalaD.M., KavoussiL.R.: Transperitoneal nephrectomy for benign disease of the kidney: a comparison of laparoscopic and open surgical techniques. Urol., 43: 607, 1994.
11.
ParraR.O., PerezM.G., BoullierJ.A., CummingsJ.M.: Comparison between standard flank versus laparoscopic nephrectomy for benign disease. J. Urol., 153: 1171, 1995.
12.
Mc DougallE.M., ClaymanR.V.: Laparoscopic nephrectomy for benign disease: comparison of the transperitoneal and retroperitoneal approaches. J. Endourol., 10–45, 1996.
13.
Mc DougallE.M., ClaymanR.V., ElashryO.: Laparoscopic nephrouretectomy for upper tract transitional cell cancer: Washington University experience. J. Urol.154: 975, 1995.
14.
GillI.S., KavoussiL.R., ClaymanR.V., EhrlichR., EvansR., FuchsG., GershamA., HulbertJ.C., Mc DougallE.M., RosenthalT., SchuessleW.W., ShepardT.: Complication of laparoscopic nephrectomy in 185 patients: a multi-institutional review. J. Urol., 154: 479, 1995.
15.
ErakyI., El-KappanyH. A., GhoneimM.A.: Laparoscopic nephrectomy: Mansoura experience with 106 cases. Br. J. Urol., 75: 271, 1995.
16.
CoptcoatM.J.: Laparoscopic in urology: perspectives and upratice. Brit. J. Urol., 69: 561, 1992.
