Should preservable parenchyma, and not tumor size, be the main determinant of the feasibility of partial nephrectomy?

摘要

The evolution of partial nephrectomy (PN) spans more than the past 3 decades. Initially, PN was developed for situations in which radical ne-phrectomy would render the patient dependent on dialysis. With increasing experience and the development of improved surgical techniques, PN was more frequently used for patients with bilateral renal masses and/or com' promised renal function. Subsequently, "elective" PN was offered to patients who had normal renal function and a normal contralateral kidney.