Retroperitoneoscopic live donor nephrectomy (RPLDN): establishment and initial experience of RPLDN at a single center

We tried to establish the technique of retroperitoneoscopic live donor nephrectomy (RPLDN). Between July 2001 and March 2004, 135 renal transplant donors underwent RPLDN. Low (average: 7 mmHg) CO2 gas pressure was employed during the procedure. All procedures were performed through a three-port retroperitoneal approach without opening the peritoneal cavity. The hand-assisted technique was not used. One hundred and twenty-seven cases were of left and eight cases were of right nephrectomy. Donor nephrectomy was carried out successfully in all patients. In one donor, the procedure was changed to open donor nephrectomy because of severe adhesion around the renal vein due to previous surgery. No serious complications, such as massive bleeding or bowel injury were encountered. Return of bowel function took 0.7 days on average. Post-operative hospital stay was 4.9 days on average, and return to work was 12 days on average. Ureteral complications occurred in 2 patients and were treated with temporally retrograde ureteral stenting. Average serum creatinine levels were 1.5 mg/dL, 1.3 mg/dL and 1.3 mg/dL at 3, 7 and 14 days after transplantation, respectively. No patients required hemodialysis after transplantation due to acute tubular necrosis. RPLDN could be an option for laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy.