Open partial nephrectomy for tumor in a solitary kidney: experience with 400 cases

Abstract

Purpose: We present a series of 400 patients with tumor in a solitary kidney who underwent open surgical partial nephrectomy performed by a single surgeon (ACN) with a primary focus on postoperative long-term kidney function.

Materials and methods: A total of 400 patients with sporadic nonfamilial kidney tumors in a solitary kidney underwent open partial nephrectomy between 1980 and 2002. In 323 patients (81%) the contralateral kidney had been surgically removed, while the remaining 77 (19%) had a congenital solitary kidney. Renal insufficiency was present preoperatively in 184 patients (46%). Adverse risk factors for partial nephrectomy were present in a large percent of patients. Intraoperative and postoperative parameters were evaluated at a mean followup of 44 months.

Results: In the overall series 5 and 10-year cancer specific survival was 89% and 82%, respectively. Surgical complications occurred in 52 patients (13%), most commonly urinary leakage. Early postoperative renal function was achieved in 398 patients (99.5%). Only 2 patients required permanent dialysis postoperatively. Satisfactory long-term renal function was achieved in 382 patients (95.5%). A total of 18 patients had progressed to renal failure a mean of 3.6 years after surgery. Patient age, the amount of renal parenchyma resected, a congenitally absent or atrophic contralateral kidney and the time of contralateral nephrectomy were noted to be significantly associated with postoperative renal function.

Conclusions: Open surgical partial nephrectomy can be safely performed in patients with tumor in a solitary kidney. Long-term cancer-free survival with the preservation of renal function can be reliably expected in most of these cases.