OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the complications and 30-day mortality rates following open radical nephrectomy and laparoscopic radical nephrectomy using the Clavien-Dindo classification system in a low-volume hospital.METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 263 patients who underwent open or laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (1996-2016) in our local district general hospital. Postoperative complications and 30-day mortalities were evaluated using the Clavien-Dindo classification. The predictors of postoperative complications were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: We found that, compared to open radical nephrectomy, laparoscopic resulted in a significantly longer operative time (112.6±41 vs 199.3±61 minutes, p<0.01) and a shorter hospital stay (8.5±2.4 vs 5.7±3 days, p<0.001). The most common complications were bleeding or hematoma (4.9%) and problems associated with the wound (4.5%). There were no significant differences between the ORN and LRN groups in terms of complications based on the Clavien-Dindo classification. On multivariate analysis, a longer operative time (Odds Ratio, 1.009; 95% confidence interval, 1.002-1.015; p=0.010) and higher body mass index (Odds Ratio, 0.898; 95% confidence interval, 0.822-0.981; p=0.017) were found to be significant predictors of complications after nephrectomy.CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that complication and 30-day mortality rates were low. There was a greater number of low-grade complications, and there were no significant differences in these rates between open and laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. A longer operative time and a higher BMI were predictors of possible complications. We provide additional evidence to support the feasibility of performing open or laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in low-volume hospitals.