The laparoscopic cooling sheath: novel device for hypothermic preservation of kidney during temporary renal artery occlusion.

Hypothermia is commonly used to prevent ischemic renal damage during complex nephron-sparing surgical procedures requiring temporary renal artery occlusion. We developed a novel Cooling Sheath device, which is compatible with laparoscopy, to protect the kidney hypothermically during 60 minutes of temporary arterial occlusion in a laparoscopic swine model. Comparison of temperature curves and histology to control groups undergoing open slush surface cooling and laparoscopic warm ischemia for similar time periods was performed. Optimal hypothermic temperatures were reached rapidly and maintained with the use of the Cooling Sheath. Ischemic damage, present in all kidneys subjected to warm ischemia, was not found on histopathologic examination of the cooled kidneys. This new device provides hypothermic protection of the kidney during ischemia. The use of the Cooling Sheath combined with temporary arterial occlusion will allow more complex nephron-sparing renal surgery to be performed using laparoscopy.