Hand-assisted laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy – right-sided approach: experience attained in 38 cases

Abstract

Removal of a donor kidney by laparoscopic nephrectomy is a safe method that is widely being used mainly in left donor nephrectomy. However, in right donor nephrectomy wherever the right renal vein is too short, the open surgery has been more frequently described in the literature. Purpose: To describe our experience in 38 renal transplants using two different techniques in right donor nephrectomy. Method: From February 2002 to May 2009, 38 hand-assisted laparoscopic right donor nephrectomies were performed. Twenty-five of these laparoscopic nephrectomies were performed by the method with the assistant using his hand to assist the surgery, and 13 nephrectomies were performed by the laparoscopic method assisted by the first surgeon. Results: Right donor nephrectomies assisted either by the hand of the assistant or the surgeon had similar results. All recipients had diuresis in the immediate post-operative period and the one week after the transplantation serum creatinine level was found to be 1.90mg/dl (± 1.55). Conclusion: Although the hand techniques are similar, we concluded that the laparoscopic nephrectomy assisted by the surgeon is more adequate for the right kidney extraction. It can be performed either by a resident doctor or a surgeon from the transplantation team whether experienced or not in nephrectomy for transplantation.