A16. Role of minimal invasive procedures in urology

A minimally invasive procedure usually refers to a laparoscopic surgery, but one can also consider cystoscopic procedures like ureteral stenting or percutaneous nephrostomy as minimally invasive procedures as well. Laparoscopy and robot-assisted techniques are widely used in urology.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) may be associated with less bleeding and shorter hospital stay than open surgery.

Kidney surgery, especially partial nephrectomy benefits from robot assistance.

• Advantages of minimally invasive procedures
  • Lower infection
  • Faster recovery
  • Less time spent in hospital
  • Smaller scar
  • Less postoperative pain
• Disadvantages of minimally invasive procedures
  • Difficult to learn
  • Longer operation time
  • Limited view
• Laparoscopic nephrectomy
  • Radical nephrectomy – Small RCC
  • Simple nephrectomy – benign kidney tumour
• Laparoscopic nephropexy
  • For nephroptosis
• Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy
  • For urothelial cancer
• Laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy