Urological laparoscopy : our preliminary results

From the beginning of urological applications of laparoscopy, this technique has found many clinical indications. In our center, after an experimental training in animals, we performed 48 operations using laparoscopy: 18 pelvic lymphadenectomies (15 for prostate cancer, 2 for bladder tumor and 1 for penis carcinoma), 11 ligatures of the spermatic vein (3 bilateral), 4 orchidopexies, 10 excisions of renal cysts, 4 nephrectomies and 1 adrenalectomy. For cryptorchidism, laparoscopy is a less invasive alternative to surgical exploration; in case of prostate cancer, laparoscopic pelvic node dissection has a lower incidence of complications and requires few days of hospitalisation. The excision of renal cysts by laparoscopy, in case of large symptomatic pathology, is an efficacious operation with low morbidity. In case of nephrectomy for small wrinkled kidneys or severe hydronephrosis, long execution time makes cost/benefit ratio somewhat debatable; adrenalectomy, instead, is easier than nephrectomy and offers many advantages in comparison with traditional surgical approach. All indications will be better evaluated at a later date, with the indispensable learning period and the continuous progress of technical equipment.