Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy & Intraoperative Ultrasound

16 January 2017

Maximum safety for patients with kidney cancer.

A partial nephrectomy procedure using the da Vinci® robotic system in combination with high-resolution laparoscopic intraoperative ultrasound offer significant benefits to patients suffering from kidney cancer.

In the last 6 years, a multitude of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy procedures have been performed at HYGEIA Hospital with the aid of laparoscopic intraoperative ultrasound and the contribution of the Hospital’s Ultrasound Department.

As noted by Dr. Emanuel Panagiotou, Director of the HYGEIA Hospital 2nd Urology Clinic, “Nowadays, for tumors measuring 5, 6 or even 7 centimeters, only the tumor is removed (partial nephrectomy) and the rest of the organ (kidney) is preserved. The magnification is 15-20 times greater, allowing for finer robotic arm movements and resection of small or larger tumors on healthy margins. In the case of partially exophytic or completely endophytic (enclosed inside the kidney) renal tumors, where the resection margins are not discernible, the use of high-resolution intraoperative ultrasound is imperative for performing the procedure safely.”

Kidney cancer or renal cell carcinoma is the third most commonly occurring cancer of the urinary tract. It accounts for 3% of all cancer types in adults, while it is encountered 2-3 times more frequently in men than women.

The HYGEIA Hospital 2nd Urology Clinic first started using the da Vinci® robotic system back in 2007 for a range of urological procedures, such as prostate cancer (most frequently), urinary bladder cancer and kidney cancer.

This minimally invasive method ensures shorter anesthesia time, lower risk of infection or blood loss, minimal postoperative pain and discomfort, much shorter hospitalization time, and faster recovery and return to normal activities.