Purpose: To describe our experience with partial nephrectomy using selective parenchymal clamping for the treatment of renal tumors.
Patients and methods: Between 2003 and 2005, seven patients with solid renal tumors underwent partial nephrectomy with selective parenchymal clamping at our Institution. In five, the tumor was in the right kidney and in two the tumor was in the left. Only one patient had a tumor within a solitary kidney. The tumor was located in the upper pole in 2 patients and in the lower pole in 5. Partial nephrectomy was performed with the DeBakey aortic clamp without occlusion of renal vessels.
Results: Mean operative time was 236 min (range 175-298 min). Mean intraoperative blood loss was 485 ml with only one patient requiring blood transfusion. There were no major complications. Mean preoperative serum creatinine level was 0.74 mg/dl (range 0.58-1.26 mg/dl) and mean postoperative serum creatinine level was 0.81 mg/dl (range 0.69-1.21 mg/dl) with no patient requiring dialysis. Mean hospital postoperative stay was 5 days (range 4-7 days). Mean tumor size was 2.9 cm (range 1.3-4.0 cm). Pathologic analysis detected renal cell carcinoma in 5 patients, angiomyolipoma in 1 and fibrosis with chronic hemorrhage in 1, all with negative surgical margins. After a mean follow-up of 18 months (range 3-32 months), all patients are free of disease recurrence.
Conclusion: Partial nephrectomy with selective parenchymal clamping allows resection of solid masses without damage to normal renal tissue, avoids the risk of renal failure and offers an excellent local cancer control.