Abstract / Summary
Abstract Purpose To estimate transarterial embolization (TAE) incidence after partial nephrectomy and evaluate surgical-approach associations and treatment outcomes. Methods A sensitive literature search across PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar yielded 506 records that underwent manual screening and extraction. Eligible cohorts required identifiable denominators and exact postoperative TAE counts; informative abstracts were eligible. Search dates and complete strategies were unavailable. Patient-denominator proportions and unadjusted within-study risk ratios were pooled using restricted maximum likelihood and modified Hartung–Knapp intervals. Risk of bias used an adapted six-domain framework. Results Fifty-four reports were retained: 28 full texts and 26 abstract-only reports. The primary synthesis comprised 52 patient-denominator cohorts, 420 TAE patients, and 17,831 reported patient denominators. Pooled incidence was 2.70% (95% confidence interval 2.23–3.28%; I² = 64.0%); full-text-only incidence was 2.93% (2.19–3.92%). Two procedure-denominator reports were excluded from the primary pool. Robotic versus open, robotic versus laparoscopic, and laparoscopic versus open risk ratios were 0.55 (0.11–2.65), 0.34 (0.06–1.85), and 1.92 (0.84–4.40), respectively. Embolization frequently achieved reported hemostasis, sometimes after repeat treatment; renal functional findings varied. Conclusion Approximately 3% underwent TAE in reported cohorts, with substantial heterogeneity and no established surgical-approach superiority. Abstract-only evidence, surveillance differences, and possible cohort overlap limit certainty. Radiologists should distinguish imaging-detected lesions from treatment-requiring events and interpret embolization risk alongside clinical presentation and surveillance practices.