Laparoscopic excision of local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma

Background and Objective: To report a single center's experience with laparoscopic excision of local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma. Methods: Between January and August 2011, 5 patients who underwent laparoscopic excision of local recurrence were identified from the institutional laparoscopic surgery database. Results: Four radical nephrectomies and 1 partial nephrectomy were performed for primary tumors. The mean ages of the patients were 57.4 y (range, 48 to 68) and 62.8 y (range, 53 to 71) at the time of primary surgery and laparoscopic recurrence excision, respectively. The average size of the primary tumor was 7.2cm (range, 4.5 to 11). The mean size of local recurrence was 3.46cm (range, 2.8 to 4.5). The original tumor T stages were T1b, T2b, and T4 in 3, 1, and 1 cases, respectively. The mean time to diagnosis of recurrence was 51.2 mo (range, 15 to 136). The pathology of one patient who had previously received targeted therapy with sunitinib, was necrosis, unlike the other 4 pathologies which revealed renal cell carcinoma. The mean operative time, estimated blood loss, and length of hospital stay were 86 min (range, 70 to 100), 100 mL (range, 20 to 300), and 4 d (range, 2 to 8), respectively. One pleural injury did not need open conversion and was repaired laparoscopically. At a mean follow-up of 8.4 mo, the cancer-specific and disease-free survival rates were 100% and 60%, respectively. Conclusion: Laparoscopic excision of local recurrence of RCC is a feasible technique in well-selected patients with low-volume mass not involving the adjacent organs.