BACKGROUND: With the increasing proportion of stage T1 kidney cancer, the study of partial nephrectomy treatment for small renal cancer has received increasing attention and focus. preserving the renal unit in small renal tumors can prolong patients’ lives, while preserving the renal unit in central renal tumors is prone to bleeding and urinary extravasation, and most are removed. the RENAL nephrometry scoring system is an assessment system that can quantify the anatomical characteristics of renal tumors. this study evaluates the success of preserving the renal unit in central renal tumors. This study evaluates the success of preserving the renal unit in central renal tumors. METHODS: The data of 137 patients with partial nephrectomy from August 2011 to July 2014 were retrospectively analyzed, of which 46 were selected for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy and 91 for open partial nephrectomy. The size of renal tumor, degree of exophytic/endophytic, collecting system distance, anterior/posterior position, and renal pole position were recorded for each patient, and the RENAL score was calculated for each patient according to the R.E.N.A.L renal measurement scoring system, grouped by scores 4-6 (low complexity), 7-9 (moderate complexity), and 10-12 (high complexity), respectively, and the general conditions of patients in both groups were counted, including age, gender renal function, thermal ischemia time, and complications, and statistically compared the relationship between the two groups’ surgical procedures and scores, as well as the relationship between thermal ischemia time and scores. RESULTS: All central renal tumors were performed in an open approach, with 34 cases, 23 moderately complicated RENAL cases and 11 highly complicated cases, with a male to female ratio of 29:5 and a mean age of 62 years; all patients had successful preservation of renal units, with a heat ischemia time of 17-41mins, a mean of 20mins; bleeding volume of 30-350ml, a mean of 80ml; follow-up of 3 months-4 years, without a single case of renal atrophy or tumor recurrence. Conclusion: Adequate freeing of the kidney, good control of renal vessels, clear exposure of the tumor and sharp separation, and tight suturing of the residual renal tissue can achieve the purpose of preserving the renal unit.