Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy: Single-Center Experience in Egypt With 400 Consecutive Cases

IntroductionIn this study, we present our experience with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy and evaluate the outcomes of donors and recipients.Patients and methodsBetween 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.ResultsAll 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.ConclusionLaparoscopic 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.