Kidney Function Preserved by Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy

With today's technological advances, it may come as no surprise that a robot could assist kidney patients in preserving the function of this vital organ.

According to a recent study, patients with chronic kidney disease who received robot-assisted partial nephrectomy in order to treat kidney cancer showed only minimal loss of kidney function-even a smaller amount than those with normal kidney function.

"Our study supports robot-assisted partial nephrectomy as an alternative to open surgery for patients with chronic kidney disease because decreases in kidney function after the procedure appear minimal," senior study author Craig Rogers, M.D., a Henry Ford urologist and robotic surgery specialist said, via a press release. "In addition, no patients developed end-stage kidney disease requiring long-term kidney dialysis.

"Chronic kidney disease is a growing public health concern. With robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RPN), we can save kidneys and preserve kidney function in patients who need it most.

Traditionally, these patients required a large open incision and longer recovery," Dr. Rogers adds, via the release. "Our study shows that these patients can also receive the benefits of a minimally invasive robotic approach when performed by experienced surgeons, and they do well."

The study participants all underwent RPN-a minimally invasive surgical procedure that removes cancerous tumors from the kidney while sparing healthy tissue. All of the cases were also performed by surgeons with extensive experience via RPN operations.

Data was collected from nearly 1,200 patients who underwent RPN between 2007 and 2012.

Researchers compared the outcomes of patients who had pre-existing chronic kidney function that was measured across each patient's glomerular filtration rate. This estimates the overall performance of cleansing filters found in the kidneys.

The researchers found that patients with chronic kidney disease showed less amounts of decline in kidney function following RPN than those with normal kidney function who did not receive the procedure when scheduled with a follow-up exam.

More information regarding the study can be found via European Urology, the journal of the European Association of Urology.