A survey: the prevalence of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy at large U.S. transplant centers

There is controversy whether laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is the procedure of choice for live kidney donors. The purpose of this survey therefore was to determine the current practices, attitudes, and plans regarding LDN in high-volume renal transplant centers.

Medical directors of the 31 highest volume kidney transplant centers were surveyed via telephone. Kidney transplant data for 1998 and 1999 were collected.

The surveyed centers performed 5213 transplantations in 1998, representing 43% of all kidney transplantations done nationally. Twelve (39%) of the 31 centers performed LDN in 1998, increasing to 20 (65%) of 31 in 1999. Of 1174 live donor operations performed by the 20 centers in 1999, 365 (31%) were LDNs. Among the surveyed centers, four had no plans to begin an LDN program. The most commonly cited incentive for LDN was "shorter recovery time," whereas the most common disincentive was "concern about graft quality." A combination of observation and animate laboratory was the most commonly reported method of learning the LDN procedure. Six-month follow-up interviews found that 26 (84%) of 31 centers had performed LDN; only 1 of the 31 centers had no plans to perform LDNs.

LDN may be the de facto procedure of choice for live donors within the next year. Efforts should now focus on improving techniques for performing and teaching this procedure.