Laparoscopic surgery was carried out in the 1990s, and it was rapidly popularized by the clinic because of its advantages of small incision, small injury and fast recovery. After a large number of clinical studies at home and abroad in the past 10 years, partial nephrectomy and radical nephrectomy have the same efficacy in treating patients with limited small renal cancer; the indications for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy are similar to those of open partial nephrectomy. However, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is a challenging surgery, not only to completely remove the tumor and surrounding suspicious tissues in a shorter period of time, but also to skillfully suture the kidney, preserve as much normal renal tissue as possible and reduce intraoperative bleeding, all of which require skillful laparoscopic suturing techniques and a solid foundation in open surgery. With the accumulation of urologists’ surgical experience and the improvement of surgical techniques, the advantages of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy have become more obvious, and it has become one of the standard methods for treating early renal tumors in urology departments of large hospitals in China. Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy has two routes: transperitoneal and retroperitoneal, each with its own advantages. The advantages of transperitoneal approach are wide space, clear anatomical landmarks, and reduced operation technical difficulty for tumors in the lower level of the ventral kidney and renal hilar region; the disadvantages are the limitations of previous laparotomy and history of infection, and potential complications such as damage to the abdominal organs and infection. The transperitoneal retroperitoneal approach is not affected by factors such as abdominal adhesions, has little interference with the intra-abdominal organs, and does not contaminate the abdominal cavity; at the same time, it avoids separation of intra-abdominal organs, and avoids postoperative intestinal complications as well as the possibility of intra-abdominal dissemination of tumors. Whether the route is transperitoneal or retroperitoneal depends mainly on the habits of the surgical operator and the accumulation of relevant experience. The major complications of partial nephrectomy include intraoperative or postoperative bleeding and postoperative urinary leakage. Experienced laparoscopic surgeons can minimize the chances of complications and deal with them in a timely manner through close preoperative patient assessment and postoperative observation.