Urology became involved with laparoscopic surgery relatively late compared with other surgical specialties. Although there have been isolated reports in the urologic literature of laparoscopic procedures, it was not until the initial report by Schueller et al<sup>10 Schueller W.W., Vancaille T.G. , e al. Transperitoneal endosurgical lymphadenectomy in patients with localized prostate cancer J Urol 1991 ;  145 : 988

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> describing their experience with laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection that laparoscopy became popular in the urologic field. Since that time urologists have expanded the applications of laparoscopy to include nephrectomy, adrenalectomy, and other urologic procedures; however, pelvic lymphadenectomy has remained the number one laparoscopic procedure performed today. Pelvic lymphadenectomy is performed laparoscopically primarily for carcinoma of the prostate, but it is also useful for patients with cancer of the bladder or penis. This article describes the procedure for application in these patients. The technique described is for dissection of obturator fossa lymph nodes. This is similar to the modified open pelvic lymphadenectomy procedure.<sup>1 Boullier J.A., Parra D.O. The current status of endocavitary (laparoscopic) pelvic lymphadenectomy in the staging of prostatic cancer: Experience, indications and future directions Semin Urol 1992 ;  10 : 232

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 4 Griffith D.P., Schueller W.W. , e al. Laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy for prostatic adenocarcinoma Urol Clin North Am 1992 ;  19 : 407

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> This dissection is performed transperitoneally, although Das and Tashima<sup>3 Das S., Tashima M. Extraperitoneal laparoscopic staging in pelvic lymph node dissection J Urol 1994 ;  151 : 1321

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> have described an extraperitoneal approach.