Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedures are widely used in urologic surgery, conferring significant benefit to patients and improving outcomes. Benefits include less postoperative pain, faster recovery, shorter hospital stay, less…

Urothelial carcinoma can arise from any part of urothelium: bladder, renal collecting system, or ureter. The nomenclature of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is reserved for tumors that are localized…

Indications and Contraindications Renal cystic disease is common, with an increasing prevalence likely related to the use of cross-sectional imaging over the last several decades. Renal cysts have been identified…

Ureterolysis is performed to relieve ureteral obstruction caused by extrinsic compression. Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare (1 in 200,000-500,000) chronic process characterized by inflammation and mononuclear infiltration that is…

The incidence of renal tumors and particularly small renal masses (SRMs) has increased significantly, mostly because of increased use of and advances in cross-sectional imaging. Historically, radical nephrectomy (RN) was…

Radical nephrectomy has long been considered the gold standard surgical treatment for renal cell carcinoma. In the past two decades, nephron sparing surgery has become the standard for treatment of…

In 1991, Clayman and associates reported the first simple laparoscopic nephrectomy on a 54-year-old woman with oncocytoma. Since the introduction of this revolutionary procedure, indications for laparoscopic renal surgery have…

Integrating robotic technology into clinical medicine has been a sought-after goal for decades. This desire has manifested itself in a wide range of human-robot interfaces. On one end, fully automated…

Jeffery E. Piacitelli Trends in health care predict increased use of assistants, or advanced practice providers (APPs), by physicians in the treatment and care of patients. For the urologist in the…