Abstract

  We reviewed the results of laparoscopic nephrectomy for children with a hypoplastic or poorly functioning kidney in our department. Laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed in 10 patients including 1 boy and 9 girls. The patients’ median age was 5.5 years old. There were 8 patients with a hypoplastic kidney and an ectopic ureter, and 2 patients with a poorly functioning kidney and a megaureter or vesicoureteral reflux. Laparoscopic nephrectomy was conducted transperitoneally in 5 and retroperitoneally in 5 patients. The median operative time was 167 minutes. There was no intraoperative complication. Postoperatively, subcutaneous emphysema and fever developed in one patient each. 7 patients used an analgesic suppository once or several times, and 3 patients received no analgesics. Oral intake was started at a median of 1 day postoperatively. The median hospital stay after surgery was 4.5 days. Laparoscopic nephrectomy for a hypoplastic and poorly functioning kidney in children is a minimally invasive surgery.