Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: single-center experience in Egypt with 400 consecutive cases.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we present our experience with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy and evaluate the outcomes of donors and recipients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2003 and August 2006, 400 laparoscopic donor nephrectomies were performed in our institution. Donors were evaluated for renal vasculature using computed tomography angiography. We used the left kidney in 329 donors and the right kidney in 71. Donor surgeries were done transperitoneally using three trocars on the left side and four trocars on the right side. Kidneys were extracted manually through a 7-cm Pfanenstiel incision. RESULTS: All cases were completed laparoscopically. Mean operative time was 117 +/- 34 minutes. Mean blood loss was 56 +/- 28 mL. None of the donors required a blood transfusion. Mean warm ischemia time was 2.6 +/- 0.4 minutes. The mean renal artery length was 3.1 +/- 0.4 cm; the mean renal vein length was 2.4 +/- 1.2 cm. Mean hospital stay was 2.1 days. No donor required readmission. Kidneys were transplanted successfully and the mean recipient creatinine on discharge was 1.2 +/- 0.6 mg/dL. One patient had a renal artery thrombosis on postoperative day 2. Another patient with double renal arteries had thrombosis of the smaller artery just after surgery. Acute tubular necrosis was seen in 17 patients, four of whom required dialysis. Kidney function recovered thereafter in all acute tubular necrosis cases. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive approach for living donor nephrectomy with good functional outcomes. The donor benefits from lesser morbidity without compromising the anatomic or physiological outcome of the nephrectomized kidney.

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy for pediatric recipient.

INTRODUCTION: To present our outcome of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy for pediatric recipients, who may pose special challenges. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since March 2003, we performed more than 400 laparoscopic donor nephrectomies for 39 pediatric recipients (age less than 17 years of age). The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were reviewed to analyze the outcomes of these cases. We used the left kidney in 26 and the right kidney in 13 cases. Seven cases had double renal arteries, which were reconstructed on the bench. RESULTS: The mean donor and recipient ages were 31 +/- 5 years and 13 +/- 4 years, respectively. The mean donor operative time was 2.1 hours (range 1.2 to 3.2). The warm ischemia time averaged 3 +/- 0.6 minutes. In 27 cases, we used the common iliac artery and common iliac vein for vascular anastomosis. In 12 cases, the anastomosis was performed to the aorta and vena cava. Seven patients had prior augmentation cystoplasty, and the ureter was anastomosed to the pouch directly. All grafts functioned immediately, with a mean creatinine at 24 hours of 1.5 +/- 0.3 mg/dL. At last follow-up (mean 13.6 months), the mean creatinine was 0.9 mg/dL. One patient lost the graft due to severe rejection that was resistant to antithymocyte globulin. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy for pediatric recipients is safe and provides quality organs with excellent function. Outcome is comparable to those after open donor nephrectomy.