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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplantation
Published on: July 19, 2021
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: decreasing length of stay
Ari J Cohen1, Darin S Williams2, Humberto Bohorquez1
1Multi-Organ Transplant Institute, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA ; The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Ochsner Clinical School, New Orleans, LA.
Background:
The number of robotic operations performed with the da Vinci Surgical System has increased during the past decade. This system allows for greater maneuverability and control than hand-assisted laparoscopic procedures, resulting in less tissue manipulation and irritation.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed the results of 100 consecutive robotic-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomies and compared them to our most recent 20 hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomies.
Results:
Between May 2008 and June 2012, 120 laparoscopic donor nephrectomies were performed at Ochsner Clinic Foundation. Of those, 100 live kidney donors underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomies. Surgical time and hospital length of stay improved after the first 20 patients receiving robotic-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomies, which was considered the learning curve. Sixty percent of patients who underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomies were released on postoperative day 1 compared to 45% of patients who underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic techniques.
Conclusion:
In our experience, robotic-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy resulted in decreased postoperative length of stay that decreased the global cost of the procedure and allowed our institution to admit more patients.
