Comparison of Open Versus Laparoscopic Versus Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Nephroureterectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: A systematic analysis of the evidence regarding oncological, perioperative and postoperative outcomes of open nephroureterectomy (ONU), laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU), and hand-assisted laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (HALNU) was designed.

Methods: The summarized data were abstracted from 52 original research articles representing 19,195 patients. PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were reviewed in March 2017, following PRISMA framework. A total of 52 publications were selected for inclusion. The primary outcomes were 2- and 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate, overall survival (OS) rate, and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate. The secondary outcomes were operative time, lengths of hospitalization period, estimated blood loss, transfusions, major Clavien complication rate, metastasis rate, bladder recurrence rate, and positive surgical margin.

Results: On comparing LNU versus ONU and HALNU versus ONU, no significant differences between the 5-year CSS rate (P = .25, P = .39), OS rate (P = .06, P = .46), and RFS rate (P = .85, P = .73) were found. On comparing LNU versus ONU and HALNU versus ONU during a 2-year follow-up period, the following were found: CSS rate (P = .61, P = .04) and OS rate (P = .33, P = .19). There were no significant differences between the LNU versus ONU and HALNU versus ONU rates, regarding bladder recurrence (P = .12, P = .85) and metastasis rate (P = .07, P = .27). Significant higher operative time (P = .01, P = .0004), lower length of hospitalization period (P < .001, P < .001), and estimated blood loss (P = .0004, P < .001) were found in comparison to that of LNU versus ONU and HALNU versus ONU.

Conclusion: Both LNU and HALNU had comparable oncological and better perioperative and postoperative outcomes, when compared with ONU.

Keywords: laparoscopy; nephroureterectomy; survival; upper urinary tract; urothelial carcinomas.