Urological Laparoscopic Surgery-From Past to Present

Abstract

Laparoscopic urology is a subspecialty emerged and popularized worldwide in the last decade. In recent years, the concept of minimally invasive technology to serve patients has become the mainstream consensus in surgery. After the advent of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in late 1990's, almost all subspecialities in surgery field quickly embraced this technology. In urology, the first successful clinical application was laparoscopic ligation of internal spermatic vein to treat varicocele in 1991. Urologists later used laparoscopic techniques to harvest pelvic lymph nodes for the evaluation of lymphnode status of prostatic cancer. The first human laparoscopic radical nephrectomy leading the era of complex laparoscopic surgery in urology was reported since 1992. As experience gained more, urologists soon found laparoscopic surgery suitable for many complex upper urothelial tract diseases, such as laparoscopic adrenalectomy, partial nephrectomy, pyeloplasty, nephrolithotomy….etc. Since 2000, a group of French urologists successfully performed radical prostatectomy with the advantages of better urethro-bladder anastomosis and neurovascualr bundle preservation which was provided by the laparoscopical magnified vision. The emergence of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy since 2001 was another corestone in urological laparoscopy. Through these years of observation, urologists strongly believe that urological laparoscopic surgery was a revolution yesterday and is a reality today.