Thermal damage of the genitofemoral nerve due to radiofrequency ablation of renal cell carcinoma: a potentially avoidable complication.

OBJECTIVE: A technique is presented that may prevent damage to the genitofemoral nerve during percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of renal cell carcinomas. The genitofemoral nerve originates from the upper part of the lumbar plexus and descends laterally along the psoas major muscle, which is anatomically close to the kidney. During radiofrequency ablation, nearby healthy nerve tissue could be damaged by heat conductance. In the described technique, the radiofrequency applicator within the renal tumor is used as a lever to displace the kidney away from the psoas muscle.

CONCLUSION: Three clinical cases are presented in this study. In one case, the technique was not applied, leading to coagulation of the genitofemoral nerve. In the other two cases, hazard to the genitofemoral nerve was averted by using the mentioned technique.