ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#The primordial principle in living kidney donation is leaving the better functioning kidney (BFK) with the donor. However, when laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is utilized, certain conditions may warrant removing the BFK. These include lesser complex vasculature, renal calculi, or left-sidedness. Reported here are the long-term outcomes of removing the BFK among living donors.@*METHODS@#Chart review was done on all donor nephrectomy patients over a five-year period. Patients whose BFK were removed via LDN were identified. Clinical indications, patient demographics, perioperative and postoperative outcomes were summarized. Creatinine and eGFR at one-day, one-month and one-year follow-up were used to determine renal functional outcomes.@*RESULTS@#Between January 2011 to December 2015, 810 donor nephrectomies were performed: 366 (45.2%) and 444 (54.8%) had open donor nephrectomy and LDN, respectively. BFK was removed in 26 (5.8%) in the LDN and none in the open group. Mean age was 28.9+7.5 (18-49), with a male to female ratio of 4:1. The clinical indications were less complex vasculature in 18 (69%), left-sided BFK in 7 (27%) and renal calculi in 1 (3.8%). The mean operative time was 173 +25 (130–272) minutes, with a mean blood loss of 111 +96 (50-200)cc. The mean length of stay was 3.0+0.2 (2.8-4) days. Grade 1 complications were seen in 5 (19%) patients. There was no mortality. The eGFR after 1 year is 79.4+14.1 (54-91) cc/min.@*CONCLUSION@#Removing the BFK during LDN does not impact negatively on the safety and renal functional outcomes of living kidney donors.
ABSTRACT
Hand assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (HALDN) has recently emerged as a very attractive modality in standard donor nephrectomy because of its many advantages. However, it also has disadvantages, which include gas emboli, subcutaneous emphysema, hypercarbia, pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum. This case involves a male patient who had suffered from temporary hypercarbia due to increased carbon dioxide absorption due to massive subcutaneous emphysema about 1 hour after pneumoperitoneum during HALDN. Following multiple skin punctures with an 18 G disposable needle, chest compliance and blood gas findings improved. Three hours later the operation ended successfully and he was transferred to the recovery room, and show no further problems. We report upon this clinical experience and include a brief review of the literature.