Multi-institutional feasibility and safety outcomes of retroperitoneal robot-assisted partial nephrectomy in morbidly obese patients.

Background: Robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) is an established treatment modality for small renal masses. While retroperitoneal RAPN (rRAPN) has the benefit of avoiding the peritoneal cavity and provides more direct access to the renal hilum and posterior kidney, there is concern about the feasibility of rRAPN particularly in morbidly obese [body mass index (BMI) ≥40 kg/m] patients. We present a large scale multi-institutional study on the outcomes of rRAPN in morbidly obese patients.