Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUC) account for 5-10% of all transitional cells neoplasms. Kidney-sparing treatment should be considered for low grade (LG) UTUC and for imperative conditions. Percutaneous approach may have a role in LG tumors not manageable endoscopically. Tumor seeding along nephrostomy track is a rare report. We describe the case of a 73-year-old male, with a history of high-grade UC of the left renal pelvis. A CT scan showed the thickening of left renal pelvic wall, and percutaneous biopsy was performed. The patient underwent laparoscopic left nephroureterectomy. Seven months later, he was admitted for left flank pain due to a mass along the percutaneous track site. Mass en-bloc resection was performed, and histopathology finding demonstrated undifferentiated carcinoma, compatible with UTUC metastasis. The percutaneous approach should be considered to be the possible cause of tumor seeding. Multimodal therapy seems mandatory, as highlighted in our outcomes, with 5 years of recurrence free survival.
Our persistent positive results with the use of 3-mm instruments during LLDN support this technique as a good alternative to the standard laparoscopic approach for minimizing the incision site, while maintaining safety and excellent clinical outcomes. The fact that the general laparoscopic standards are maintained could make this approach a very attractive alternative to the other minimally invasive approaches for live donor nephrectomy. The hope is in that the higher degree of satisfaction in the donor population demonstrated in this study may likely enhance living kidney donation.
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