Comparing surgical outcomes between robot-assisted laparoscopic and open partial nephrectomy for allograft kidney tumors: A retrospective, single-center study

Abstract

Abstract Background Kidney transplantation is considered the best long-term option for patients with end-stage renal disease; however, immunosuppression increases the risk for malignancies. Approximately 0.2–0.5% of kidney transplant recipients experience renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in their allografts. Recently, nephron-sparing surgery has become widely accepted because of its good survival and low recurrence rates. Methods In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the peri- and postoperative outcomes of RAPN and open partial nephrectomy (OPN) for allograft RCC, including five and six patients who underwent OPN and RAPN from 1998 to 2023, respectively. Results The estimated blood loss was significantly lower in the RAPN group than in the OPN group (6.5 mL [interquartile range (IQR): 1–15] vs. 350 mL [IQR: 139–560], P = 0.006), whereas the operative and renal arterial clamping times were similar. Additionally, perioperative complication rate and its extent were lower in the RAPN group, resulting in a significantly shorter length of postoperative stay than the OPN group (3 days [IQR: 2–5] vs. 10 days [IQR: 8–12], P = 0.01). Postoperative renal function and oncological outcomes were similar between the two groups. Conclusions RAPN for allograft RCC demonstrated some advantages in estimated blood loss and length of postoperative stay as compared with OPN, even though the patients’ backgrounds were not adjusted. Therefore, RAPN may be used for managing T1 allograft tumors.