Laparoscopic nephrectomy for adult polycystic kidney disease: safety, feasibility, and early outcomes.

Abstract Background and Purpose: Indications for laparoscopic renal surgery are increasing; however, benefits in adult polycystic kidney disease (APKD) remain uncertain. Our objective was to systematically synthesize the reported literature on safety, feasibility, complications, and early outcomes of laparoscopic nephrectomy in APKD to determine clinical benefits for surgical practice. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of the published literature reporting on laparoscopic nephrectomy in APKD between 1991 and 2013. The criteria from the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) study were used to assess the quality of reported literature. Results: One prospective and 15 retrospective studies of low to modest quality (according to the STROBE checklist) were identified, reporting on 293 patients who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy for APKD. None of the studies was a randomized clinical trial (RCT). The transperitoneal approach was the most commonly used technique. B...