Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy: Initial Experience
Amir Szold, Joseph M. Klausner, Richard Nakache
Advanced Endoscopic Surgery Unit, Transplantation Unit and Depts. of Surgery B-C, Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
We present our initial experience in laparoscopic nephrectomy. 6 patients were operated for a kidney donation and 2 for treatment of a benign disease. All procedures were completed successfully, with no conversion to laparotomy or intra-operative complications. Mean operating time was 210 minutes, and in the donor kidneys the mean warm-ischemic time was 165 seconds. There were 3 postoperative complications, and mean hospitalization was 3.5 days. The transplanted kidneys are all functioning.
From our initial experience, laparoscopic nephrectomy appears to be both feasible and safe. Its implementation requires a combined team with experience in donor surgery and advanced laparoscopic skills. The procedure may increase the availability of living donor kidneys, due to the smaller impact on the donor compared to conventional donor nephrectomy.