Minimally Invasive Renal Auto-Transplantation: The First Report

BackgroundRegarding transplant surgery, the minimally invasive revolution was started in 1995 by laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy (L-LDN). In 2006, we made the first report on a minimally invasive technique for kidney transplantation; restricted to a 7–9 cm transverse incision targeted on the anastomotic area of the iliac vessels, and with the meticulously prepared kidney placed in a fitting, retroperitoneal pouch lateral to the skin incision.Materials and MethodsBy combining “hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy” and “minimally invasive kidney transplantation” — using the same incision (7–8 cm) for hand-assistance, kidney harvesting, and transplantation — we have during 2009 conducted “minimally invasive renal auto-transplantation” in two patients.ResultsIn both cases, the postoperative course was uneventful. When examined 3 mo postoperatively, both auto-transplants were shown to have excellent function by renal scintigraphy.ConclusionsRenal auto-transplantation, a traditionally major surgical procedure, can be made minimally invasive by a similar incision as that used for L-LDN. Taking into regard the highly traumatic conventional incisions, we expect the generally proven minimally invasive benefits to be considerable.