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Current Status of Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Nephroureterectomy for Management of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

  • Minimally Invasive Surgery (V Bird, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UUT-UC) are usually aggressive tumours and require radical treatments. The standard of care for localised UUT-UC is radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries are currently employed in various urological procedures, including RNU. We conducted a literature search on medical databases (PubMed/ MEDLINE) using free text keywords nephroureterectomy, distal ureter, bladder cuff, urothelial carcinoma and/or robotic. In this review, we aim to provide an up-to-date status on robot-assisted laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (RAL-NU) for the management of UUT-UC. The various surgical techniques and approaches for RAL-NU and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) will be discussed and their perioperative and early oncological outcomes reported. The feasibility and safety of RAL-NU has been demonstrated in a number of studies but intermediate and long term clinical and oncological outcomes are still lacking.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a faculty research grant of Yonsei University College of Medicine for 2012 (6–2 012–0181)

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Urological Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea

    Sey Kiat Lim, Tae-Young Shin & Koon Ho Rha

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  1. Sey Kiat Lim
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  3. Koon Ho Rha
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Correspondence to Koon Ho Rha.

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Lim, S.K., Shin, TY. & Rha, K.H. Current Status of Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Nephroureterectomy for Management of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma. Curr Urol Rep 14, 138–146 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-012-0303-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-012-0303-8

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