Laparoendoscopic single-site plus one trocar donor nephrectomy using the GelPort: initial clinical experience

To achieve better cosmesis, less invasiveness, and less morbidity in donor nephrectomy without using specialized instruments, which is usually required in the laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) procedure, we performed laparoendoscopic plus one trocar donor nephrectomy (LEPODN).

From October 2010 to December 2011, 20 living renal transplantation donors underwent the LEPODN procedure. Their mean age, body mass index (BMI), and preoperative creatinine clearance were 55.7 years, 23.2, and 118.4 mg/min, respectively. The GelPort laparoscopic system was inserted through a 5-6 cm pararectal incision at the umbilicus level. A subcostal 5-mm right-hand working trocar was placed under the left costal arch. The graft kidney was extracted using a retrieval bag. A 5-mm diameter drain was placed via a right-hand working trocar. Operative data of LEPODN were retrospectively compared to those of standard laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (standard-LDN, n = 27) previously performed at our hospital.

The procedure was technically successful in all 20 patients. The mean operative time in the LEPODN group was significantly shorter than that in the standard-LDN group (229.1 vs 249.8 minutes, P = .033). Mean blood loss and warm ischemic time in the LEPODN group were 39.4 mL and 272.4 seconds, respectively. The mean serum creatinine concentrations of the recipients 7 and 30 days after operation were 1.57 and 1.13 mg/dL, respectively. These results were not significantly different from those in the standard-LDN group.

The LEPODN procedure was feasible and performed without specialized instruments by surgeons experienced in only standard laparoscopic nephrectomy.