To investigate the efficacy and safety of transperitoneal robot-assisted nephroureterectomy (RANU) with a single body position and original ports for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC).

Clinical data of 21 patients from March 2018 to November 2019 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University was retrospectively analyzed, including 14 males and 7 females. The age was (63.8±11.4) years and the BMI was (23.6±2.5) kg/m².Of the 21 localized UTUC patients, 8 pelvic tumors, 3 middle ureter tumors, 10 lower ureter tumors; 11 on the left, 10 on the right; 20 of 21 tumors (95.2%) were high risk. Surgery was done by the same urologist. Under general anesthesia, the patients were in 75 ° healthy side lying position and overall 15 ° head down and foot high position. Improved layout of ports: camera port C was located at two fingers lateral to the umbilicus, 2 cm below the umbilicus; robotic arm port 1 and 2 were respectively located at pararestus line, close to costal margin and 2 cm below the midpoint between C and the affected iliac crest. Assistant port 1 and 2 were respectively located at 2 cm above the umbilicus and 4 cm below the umbilicus. The right cases need an additional assistant port under the xiphoid to provoke the liver. Hem-o-lok cliped the ureter distal to the tumor and the affected kidney was radically removed. Under the principle of tumor free, the ureter and the surrounding bladder wall within 1 cm were excised and the bladder was sutured. Lymphadenectomy was performed when the kidney and ureter were dissociated.

All 21 procedures were successful without open surgery or position change and intraoperative complications. No patients required a blood transfusion. The operation time was (205.2±57.3) min. The median intraoperative blood loss was 50 ml (20-120 ml). The median drainage tube indwelling time was 4d(3-7 d) and the median urinary catheter indwelling time was 7 d(5-8 d), the median postoperative hospital stay was 7 d(6-12 d).7 cases(33.3%)of Clavien-Dindo grade Ⅰ complications after surgery and they all relieved after giving symptomatic treatment. All postoperative pathology showed UTUC and negative resection margins. The median follow-up time was 12 months (4-22 months), 1 patient died of an accident 7 months after surgery and 3 patients had recurrence at 6, 8, and 10 months after surgery, survival at the last follow-up after treatment.

The transperitoneal RANU with a single body position and original ports is safe and effective. The operation time is saved, the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications is low, the postoperative patients recover quickly.Short-term follow-up results prompt low recurrence rate and good tumor control effect.

Urogenital neoplasms; Single body position; Original ports; Robot-assisted laparoscopy; Nephroureterectomy