Purpose: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of selective vs hilar clamping during minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (PN).
Methods: Studies comparing the effect and safety of selective versus hilar clamping during PN were identified by a systematic search using MEDLINE and EMBASE from January 2000 to November 2014. Quality of the selected studies was assessed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).
Results: A total of seven retrospective studies were included. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in age, body mass index, tumor size, pre-estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), operative time, and length of stay. The selective clamping group had greater estimated blood loss (P<0.01) but similar blood transfusion rate (P=0.78) compared with the hilar clamping group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of urinary leaks, overall complication rate, and positive margin rate. Patients who underwent selective clamping had a lower change in eGFR (mean difference [MD]: 13.95; 95% CI 8.85 to 19.05; P<0.01) and a lower percent change in eGFR (MD: 18.51; 95% CI 14.18 to 22.84; P<0.01) at 1 week. Combined results from two studies showed a trend toward a lower percent change in eGFR at 3 months (MD: 5.47; 95% CI -0.28 to 11.22; P=0.06). At 6 months, two studies showed no significant differences in percent change of renal function between the two groups (MD: 16.85; 95% CI -10.47 to 44.16; P=0.23).
Conclusions: Although selective clamping resulted in greater estimated blood loss, it provided comparable perioperative safety and superior short-term renal function preservation. The advantage of selective clamping in preservation of intermediate-term renal function remains to be evaluated in the future, however. There is a need for properly designed studies to confirm our founding.