To report the surgical technique and the early outcomes of nephrectomy and heminephroureterectomy by single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) in children using conventional laparoscopic instruments only.

Three consecutive children (aged 3, 4 and 7 years) who underwent nephrectomy for multicystic dysplastic kidney (n = 2) and upper moiety heminephroureterectomy for duplex kidney (n = 1) by SILS were retrospectively reviewed. A standardized infraumbilical incision was used for the insertion of 3 reusable ports of 3 and 5 mm. The SILS procedure was performed by the technique of crossing 2 straight instruments.

All 3 procedures were successfully performed by SILS without any intraoperative complications or need for conversion. The 2 nephrectomies were each completed in 120 minutes, whereas the heminephroureterectomy took 400 minutes. Only 1 dose of narcotic analgesic was required by 1 patient, and 2-6 doses of oral acetaminophen were taken for postoperative pain control. All 3 children recovered smoothly from surgery without complications.

Nephrectomy and heminephroureterectomy by SILS using conventional instruments are technically feasible in young children. Further studies are required to investigate whether the SILS approach can become a sound alternative to standard laparoscopy.