Laparoscopic nephrectomy with single-portal access Gelpoint®in swines

PURPOSE: To analyze the viability of using Gelpoint® (single-port access) to make partial and total nephrectomy in pigs and to describe the technical difficulties found during these surgical procedures. METHODS: Ten pigs (Landrace specie) with 20kg in average were distributed in two groups. Group A: total right nephrectomy and Group B: partial left nephrectomy. The procedures were performed inside the Surgical Technique Room from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Parana (PUCPR). RESULTS: In Group A, time to single-port insertion varied from one to two minutes and total time of the procedures were 20.4±8.2 minutes. Bleeding was under than 20 mL in 70% of animals. Time of instrument excision was 20.7±12 seconds and time of hilum dissection was 3.9±2.2 minutes. In Group B, after total contralateral nephrectomy two surgical procedures were not concluded due to bleeding. In this group, time of surgery was 6.8±4.2 minutes. With the exception of the second surgery, the highest blood volume loss was 50 mL. The mean excision time was 22.3 ± 22.3 seconds. CONCLUSION: Total and partial nephrectomy through umbilical single-access using GelPoint® was feasible and safe in pigs.