What is the most preferred wound site for laparoscopic donor nephrectomy?: a questionnaire assessment

Although specimen extraction site selection for laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is relatively flexible and is mostly selected by surgeons from the patient's standpoint, the patient's request may differ from the medical worker's recommendation. The cosmetic aspect may also differ with age, gender, and the extent of medical knowledge. We performed an unsigned questionnaire assessment of individual preferences for LDN wound sites.

Between August 2007 and October 2008, we surveyed LDN wound site preferences among 148 physicians, 263 nurses, and 266 outpatients of urology at Akita University Hospital. They were questioned for their age, gender, occupation (medical worker or not), and for the most preferred surgical wound site among the following: A, lower vertical midline: B, upper vertical midline: C, anterior subcostal: D, Pfannenstiel: E, Gibson: and F, subcostal flank. The valid response rate was 93.5% (677/724).

Wound sites preferred (ranked in descending order) were F (48.3%), D (25.6%), E (10.5%), A (9.0%), C (5.2%), and B (1.4%). The subcostal flank incision was the most preferred in almost all the categories. Second preferences were Pfannenstiel incisions in women and incisions on the lower abdomen in men. Overall, flank and lower abdominal incisions tended to be preferred, and mid and upper abdominal incisions tended to be avoided. Medical workers selected the subcostal flank and Pfannenstiel incisions more frequently than outpatients. With increasing age, the selection rates of the Gibson and the lower vertical midline incisions increased, whereas the subcostal flank and the Pfannenstiel incisions decreased.

The subcostal flank was the most preferred LDN sites. Age, gender, and the extent of medical knowledge may influence the individual preferences for LDN wound sites.