[Hand-assisted, laparoscopic nephrectomy for live donor organ harvesting. Initial results]

We report technique and preliminary results with a new, laparoscopic hand-assisted, technique for live donor nephrectomy. A special device (Pneumo-Sleeve, Handport) in a short (7.5-8 cm) Pfannenstiel incision allows the surgeon to insert his or her hand into the insufflated abdominal cavity and to use it as a "multifunctional instrument" while pneumoperitoneum is preserved. This technique offers significant advantages over the pure laparoscopic approach in terms of maintained tactile feedback, facilitated exposure and dissection, decreased operation time and easy retrieval of specimen with minimized allograft warm ischemia time.