What is Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection?
In March 2006, NICE (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) looked at the evidence for using ‘keyhole surgery’ to remove abdominal lymph nodes after testicular cancer. This is called laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. With this type of operation, the surgeon makes 4 or 5 small cuts (incisions). He or she puts a type of telescope through into the abdomen, called a laparoscope. The laparoscope has an eye piece and hand controls for surgical instruments. The surgeon can see inside the body and carry out the operation while looking down the eye piece of the laparoscope. Generally, you recover more quickly after keyhole surgery because you are not having such a big operation. In the studies NICE looked at, hospital stay was around 3 or 4 days after keyhole surgery and about 10 days after open surgery.
