Open kidney surgery still best

ROCHESTER, Minn., Aug 09, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Urologists often view less-invasive surgery as more desirable for patients, but a new Mayo Clinic study disputes that belief for at least one procedure.

The Mayor Clinic researchers studied open nephron-sparing surgeries, or NSS, from 1985 to 2001 and found the "gold standard" of open surgery for kidney tumors should remain the first choice for many patients.

"By comparing the first decade of elective open surgeries with more contemporary ones, we found patient outcomes have greatly improved," said lead investigation Dr. Michael Blute, a Mayo Clinic urologist. "This leads us to the understanding that while there are some new treatment options out there, what was once the only option (open NSS) is still quite often the best option."

The study appears online in The Journal of Urology.