Intracorporeal renal hypothermia with ice slush for robot-assisted partial nephrectomy in a highly complex renal mass.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To report our step-by-step technique for robotic partial nephrectomy using intracorporeal renal hypothermia (RPNIRH) in a highly complex renal mass. The robotic technology has allowed surgeons to recreate the principles of open surgery in a minimally invasive approach (1). With increasing experience, larger deeply infiltrative tumors can be treated with this technique (2). In complex cases, when a long warm ischemia time is expected, intracorporeal renal hypothermia can be useful to prevent permanent renal function loss (3).