Contact Nd:YAG laser and regional renal hypothermia in partial nephrectomy.

Contact Nd:YAG laser resection using the sapphire tip is nowadays a well-known method of partial nephrectomy. Our material consists of six patients (seven resections). The indication for the operation was a renal carcinoma in five patients (six resections) and renal changes of von Hippel-Lindau syndrome in one patient. Occlusion of the renal artery insured a good intraoperative haemostasis. This improved the cutting properties of the laser and made it more accurate. Low energy levels could be used. Thus the destruction of the renal parenchyma will be reduced. The mean follow-up time was 15.3 months. No local recurrences or distant metastases have been detected. In our hands the Nd:YAG contact laser combined with renal hypothermia is superior to traditional methods of partial nephrectomy.