Review of minimally invasive renal therapies: Needle-based and extracorporeal

Management of the small renal mass (<= 3 cm) is a topic of significant debate among urologists worldwide. With the advent of needle-based therapies and, less frequently, reports of extracorporeal approaches, along with ongoing refinements in each technology, patients with such masses may have the option of being treated in a truly minimally invasive, or even noninvasive, manner. Herein we review the body of available clinical literature on these modalities with respect to patient selection, success and complication rates, follow-up information, energy delivery devices, and current probe configurations.