Laparoscopic nephrectomy and adrenalectomy

Laparoscopic surgery is a rapidly evolving technique in minimally invasive surgery. In the 1970s and 1980s, the greatest advances in laparoscopy were achieved by the gynecologists. Urologist, however, have used the laparoscope for many diagnostic as well as therapeutic procedures. The initial urological procedures performed included the localization of undescended testicles. Following this, procedures such as pelvic lymphadenectomy and varix ligation became common. This paper will review the current applications of laparoscopic nephrectomy and adrenalectomy. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.