Maria Furlan

About

Maria Furlan is a leading urologic surgeon and researcher whose work has fundamentally advanced the field of nephron-sparing surgery for kidney cancer. Her research focuses on optimizing surgical techniques—specifically robotic and minimally invasive partial nephrectomy—to maximize both oncologic control and renal function preservation. She is best known for her pivotal role in the CLOCK randomized controlled trial (NCT02287987), which rigorously compared on-clamp versus off-clamp robotic partial nephrectomy. Her landmark 2021 paper from this trial (103 citations) demonstrated the functional benefits of the off-clamp approach, while her 2019 safety analysis (55 citations) confirmed its perioperative safety. Furlan has also been instrumental in the RECORd and RECORD2 multicenter projects, producing highly cited work on predictive factors for complications (52 citations) and comparing transperitoneal versus retroperitoneal approaches (51 citations). Her 2015 comparative study of open, laparoscopic, and robotic partial nephrectomy for T1b tumors (132 citations) remains a cornerstone reference. With over 500 cumulative citations across her top ten papers, Furlan’s evidence-based contributions are shaping global surgical standards for kidney cancer treatment.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Partial Nephrectomy in Clinical T1b Renal Tumors: Multicenter Comparative Study of Open, Laparoscopic and Robot-assisted Approach (the RECORd Project)

   132 citations · 2015
2. 2
   Is off‐clamp robot‐assisted partial nephrectomy beneficial for renal function? Data from the CLOCK trial

   103 citations · 2021
3. 3
   Safety of on- vs off-clamp robotic partial nephrectomy: per-protocol analysis from the data of the CLOCK randomized trial

   55 citations · 2019
4. 4
   Predictive factors of overall and major postoperative complications after partial nephrectomy: Results from a multicenter prospective study (The RECORd 1 project)

   52 citations · 2016
5. 5
   Transperitoneal vs retroperitoneal minimally invasive partial nephrectomy: comparison of perioperative outcomes and functional follow-up in a large multi-institutional cohort (The RECORD 2 Project)

   51 citations · 2020
6. 6
   Predictors of the Transition from Off to On Clamp Approach during Ongoing Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: Data from the CLOCK Randomized Clinical Trial

   43 citations · 2019
7. 7
   Perioperative and Mid-term Oncological and Functional Outcomes After Partial Nephrectomy for Complex (PADUA Score ≥10) Renal Tumors: A Prospective Multicenter Observational Study (the RECORD2 Project)

   39 citations · 2020
8. 8
   Impact of surgical approach and resection technique on the risk of Trifecta Failure after partial nephrectomy for highly complex renal masses

   36 citations · 2021
9. 9
   The IRON Study: Investigation of Robot-assisted Versus Open Nephron-sparing Surgery

   34 citations · 2023
10. 10
    Positive surgical margins and early oncological outcomes of robotic vs open radical prostatectomy at a medium case-load institution

    22 citations · 2016

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links