EXTRAPERITONEAL LAPAROSCOPIC CALICEAL DIVERTICULECTOMY

Three women with symptomatic stone-containing caliceal diverticula in the right kidney were treated by extraperitoneal laparoscopic divertic ulectomy, The diverticula measured 31 x 21 mm, 15 x 12 mm, and 12 x 9 mm, with the calculi measuring 10 x 8 mm, 5 x 4 mm, and 6 x 6 mm, resp ectively, The site of the diverticulum was identified by the presence of a depression on the surface of the kidney, The diverticulum was mar supialized, the lining fulgurated, and in the second and third patient s, a flap of Gerota's fascia and perirenal fat inserted, The mean oper ating time was 127 minutes, The mean postoperative analgesic requireme nt was six doses of pethidine (meperidine), The median time to drainag e tube removal was 3 days, and the median time to discharge after surg ery was 4 days, Complications were minimal, On follow-up, all patients were stone free and asymptomatic, The first patient had a slight recu rrence of the diverticulum, measuring 15 x 7 mm, Laparoscopic caliceal diverticulectomy has been successful in three patients.