Renal vascular patterns assessment before robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: a video-based correlation with hilum dissection.

PURPOSE

Surgical video review (SVR) is an emerging tool for assessing patient outcomes, especially in complex surgeries such as robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). Adhesive probability and morphological scores are used to evaluate fat management and warm ischemia, respectively; however, the factors influencing renal hilum control (RHC) during RAPN have not yet been assessed. The aim of this study is to use SVR to identify the renal vascular patterns and factors that influence RHC.

METHODS

We evaluated 60 surgical video recordings of patients undergoing RAPN in 2023-2024, and measured the time to hilum control (THC) and total operation time (TOT) using a stopwatch. Patient and surgical factors were recorded and SPSS software was used to identify the correlation of these factors and vascular patterns with THC.

RESULTS

We observed a median THC of 22.7 min representing 15.1% of TOT. A significant correlation was found between previous renal surgery (p = 0.033), complex vascular anatomy on the right side (artery bifurcation behind IVC) or left side (more than one artery) (p = 0.02) and a longer THC. No significant difference was found between surgeons (p = 0.753) or surgical approach (transperitoneal vs. retroperitoneal, p = 0.87).

CONCLUSION

THC represents a relatively short part of the total RAPN time. Previous renal surgery and a complex vascular pattern with artery bifurcation behind IVC on the right side and more than one main renal artery on the left side, can lead to longer THC. A detailed understanding of renal vascular patterns can provide a patient-specific surgical planning and optimise strategies for RAPN.