Table 1 Characteristics of 47 patients undergoing retroperitoneoscopic tissue biopsy or open biopsy for unresectable retroperitoneal lesion

No. of cases

47 (100%)

23 (49%)

24 (51%)

–

Age (year old)

Mean ± SD

63 ± 10

64 ± 10

62 ± 11

0.49 ^†

Median (range)

65 (40–79)

66 (40–79)

64 (43–78)

Sex

Male

39 (83%)

21 (91%)

18 (75%)

0.24 ^‡

Female

8 (17%)

2 (9%)

6 (25%)

Estimated tumor size (cm)

Mean ± SD

6.8 ± 4.5

5.7 ± 4.2

7.9 ± 4.7

0.07 ^†

Median (range)

5.4 (1.3–17.8)

4.2 (1.5–17.3)

8.0 (1.3–17.8)

Tumor-related symptom^#

None

30 (64%)

13 (56%)

17 (71%)

0.30 ^‡

Back pain

7 (15%)

6 (26%)

1 (4%)

Abdominal pain

5 (11%)

2 (9%)

3 (13%)

Nausea

3 (6%)

2 (9%)

1 (4%)

Leg edema

2 (4%)

1 (4%)

1 (4%)

Neurological symptom

1 (2%)

1 (4%)

0 (0%)

Palpable mass

1 (2%)

0 (0%)

1 (4%)

Histopathology

Malignant lymphoma

23 (49%)

13 (56%)

10 (42%)

0.53 ‡

Lymphoproliferative disease

8 (17%)

5 (22%)

3 (13%)

Metastatic lymph node

6 (15%)

2 (9%)

4 (17%)

Sarcoma

3 (6%)

1 (4%)

2 (8%)

Other benign lesion

7 (15%)

2 (9%)

5 (21%)

Operative time (min)

Mean ± SD

169 ± 101

169 ± 57

170 ± 137

0.31 ^†

Median (range)

147 (16–388)

150 (80–326)

126 (16–388)

Pneumoperitoneum time (min)

Mean ± SD

–

131 ± 63

–

–

Median (range)

–

111 (69–278)

–

Postoperative complication^##

No

42 (89%)

19 (83%)

23 (96%)

0.14 ^‡

Retroperitoneal urine leakage

2 (4%)

2 (9%, grade IIIa)

0 (0%)

Persistent lymphorrhea

2 (4%)

2 (9%, grade II)

0 (0%)

Ileus

1 (2%)

0 (0%)

1 (4%, grade II)