Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of the Da Vinci robotic single-port-plus-one technique in common urological surgeries in children.Methods:The data of 59 children who underwent robot-assisted single-port-plus-one laparoscopic surgery from May 2022 to November 2023 in Fuzhou University Affiliated Provincial Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 44 males and 15 females, aged 36 (6, 108)months. Among them, 27 cases had ureteropelvic junction obstruction, with a preoperative anterior-posterior diameter of the renal pelvis of (31.83±6.59) mm. The American Society of Fetal Urology (SFU) grading system revealed grade Ⅲ in 8 sides and grade Ⅳ in 19 sides. Bilateral renal function showed a difference of 13.50% (7.18%, 31.06%). Additionally, 17 cases presented with vesicoureteral reflux. Preoperative voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) indicated reflux grades Ⅲ, Ⅳ, and Ⅴ in 8, 14, and 4 sides, respectively, with a difference in bilateral renal function of 18.58% (6.04%, 28.30%). Ten cases had obstructive megaureter, with a preoperative renal pelvis diameter of (22.17±7.64)mm and a maximum ureteral diameter of (19.51±3.71)mm. The preoperative bilateral renal function difference was 18.02% (5.23%, 49.42%).Five cases involved duplicated kidney and ureter. Magnetic resonance urography (MRU) confirmed unilateral duplicated kidneys with associated dilatation of the upper renal pelvis and calyces, hydroureter, thin renal cortex in all 5 patients. Among them, 2 cases had ectopic ureteral opening and 1 case had terminal ureteral cyst. Patients with ureteropelvic junction stenosis underwent pyeloplasty, those with vesicoureteral reflux and obstructive megaureter underwent ureteral reimplantation, and patients with duplicated ureters underwent nephrectomy. The Da Vinci robotic surgical system was employed for all procedures. The port placement technique involved a 2-3 cm incision around the navel to insert a single-port four-channel device, followed by the placement of an additional 8 mm operating channel in the left or right abdomen under direct visualization based on the surgical site. Preoperative and postoperative parameters were compared.Results:All operations were successfully completed without conversion to open or laparoscopic surgery. The operation time of the ureteropelvic junction obstruction children was (141.52±22.93) min. The postoperative renal pelvis diameter and bilateral renal function difference were (12.54±4.05) mm and 5.60%(2.14%, 14.48%), respectively, both of which showed significant improvement compared to preoperative levels ( P<0.01). Postoperative hydronephrosis grades were as follows: 13 sides with grade Ⅰ, 13 sides with grade Ⅱ, and 1 side with grade Ⅲ. The operation time of vesicoureteral reflux children was (125.00±11.75) min in the unilateral group and (153.22±14.39) min in the bilateral group. Postoperatively, 2 sides demonstrated reflux grade Ⅰ, 1 side grade Ⅱ, and 1 side grade Ⅲ, indicating improvement compared to preoperative levels. Bilateral renal function difference post-surgery was 13.34% (1.85%, 20.54%), which was more balanced than preoperatively ( P=0.011). Postoperative renal pelvis anterior-posterior diameter and maximum ureteral diameter were reduced to (10.31±3.86) mm and (6.62±2.44) mm, respectively, which were significantly smaller than preoperative measurements ( P<0.01). The bilateral renal function difference post-surgery was 12.04% (4.85%, 47.53%), showing improvement, though not statistically significant ( P=0.508). The operation time of the repeated nephrectomy children was (140.00±12.75) min. No recurrence of preoperative symptoms was noted, and renal cortical function remained generally normal during follow-up. In this study, only 3 cases of obstructive megaureter developed febrile urinary tract infection within 1 month after surgery, and no complications were observed in the remaining cases. Conclusions:This study preliminarily confirmed that the Da Vinci robotic single-port-plus one-port technology can be used in the treatment of common diseases of the urinary system in children. The patients' symptoms were significantly relieved after surgery, and the indicators of hydronephrosis improved compared with those before surgery. The incidence of postoperative complications was low, and aesthetic outcomes of postoperative scars were enhanced. Further studies are needed to assess its long-term efficacy.

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of the Da Vinci robotic single-port-plus-one technique in common urological surgeries in children.Methods:The data of 59 children who underwent robot-assisted single-port-plus-one laparoscopic surgery from May 2022 to November 2023 in Fuzhou University Affiliated Provincial Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 44 males and 15 females, aged 36 (6, 108)months. Among them, 27 cases had ureteropelvic junction obstruction, with a preoperative anterior-posterior diameter of the renal pelvis of (31.83±6.59) mm. The American Society of Fetal Urology (SFU) grading system revealed grade Ⅲ in 8 sides and grade Ⅳ in 19 sides. Bilateral renal function showed a difference of 13.50% (7.18%, 31.06%). Additionally, 17 cases presented with vesicoureteral reflux. Preoperative voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) indicated reflux grades Ⅲ, Ⅳ, and Ⅴ in 8, 14, and 4 sides, respectively, with a difference in bilateral renal function of 18.58% (6.04%, 28.30%). Ten cases had obstructive megaureter, with a preoperative renal pelvis diameter of (22.17±7.64)mm and a maximum ureteral diameter of (19.51±3.71)mm. The preoperative bilateral renal function difference was 18.02% (5.23%, 49.42%).Five cases involved duplicated kidney and ureter. Magnetic resonance urography (MRU) confirmed unilateral duplicated kidneys with associated dilatation of the upper renal pelvis and calyces, hydroureter, thin renal cortex in all 5 patients. Among them, 2 cases had ectopic ureteral opening and 1 case had terminal ureteral cyst. Patients with ureteropelvic junction stenosis underwent pyeloplasty, those with vesicoureteral reflux and obstructive megaureter underwent ureteral reimplantation, and patients with duplicated ureters underwent nephrectomy. The Da Vinci robotic surgical system was employed for all procedures. The port placement technique involved a 2-3 cm incision around the navel to insert a single-port four-channel device, followed by the placement of an additional 8 mm operating channel in the left or right abdomen under direct visualization based on the surgical site. Preoperative and postoperative parameters were compared.Results:All operations were successfully completed without conversion to open or laparoscopic surgery. The operation time of the ureteropelvic junction obstruction children was (141.52±22.93) min. The postoperative renal pelvis diameter and bilateral renal function difference were (12.54±4.05) mm and 5.60%(2.14%, 14.48%), respectively, both of which showed significant improvement compared to preoperative levels ( P<0.01). Postoperative hydronephrosis grades were as follows: 13 sides with grade Ⅰ, 13 sides with grade Ⅱ, and 1 side with grade Ⅲ. The operation time of vesicoureteral reflux children was (125.00±11.75) min in the unilateral group and (153.22±14.39) min in the bilateral group. Postoperatively, 2 sides demonstrated reflux grade Ⅰ, 1 side grade Ⅱ, and 1 side grade Ⅲ, indicating improvement compared to preoperative levels. Bilateral renal function difference post-surgery was 13.34% (1.85%, 20.54%), which was more balanced than preoperatively ( P=0.011). Postoperative renal pelvis anterior-posterior diameter and maximum ureteral diameter were reduced to (10.31±3.86) mm and (6.62±2.44) mm, respectively, which were significantly smaller than preoperative measurements ( P<0.01). The bilateral renal function difference post-surgery was 12.04% (4.85%, 47.53%), showing improvement, though not statistically significant ( P=0.508). The operation time of the repeated nephrectomy children was (140.00±12.75) min. No recurrence of preoperative symptoms was noted, and renal cortical function remained generally normal during follow-up. In this study, only 3 cases of obstructive megaureter developed febrile urinary tract infection within 1 month after surgery, and no complications were observed in the remaining cases. Conclusions:This study preliminarily confirmed that the Da Vinci robotic single-port-plus one-port technology can be used in the treatment of common diseases of the urinary system in children. The patients' symptoms were significantly relieved after surgery, and the indicators of hydronephrosis improved compared with those before surgery. The incidence of postoperative complications was low, and aesthetic outcomes of postoperative scars were enhanced. Further studies are needed to assess its long-term efficacy.