Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, complications and management: a single center experience

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Transplantation Surgery

Background:

• Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) has become a standard procedure for kidney donation.
• Assessing the safety, efficacy, and complication profile of LDN is essential for surgical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the institutional experience with transperitoneal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.
• To analyze complications and their management in LDN procedures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective evaluation of 51 transperitoneal LDNs performed between 2011 and 2015.
• Analysis of patient demographics, operative details, postoperative outcomes, and complications.

Main Results:

• The study included 51 patients (19 female, 32 male), aged 24-65, undergoing left (n=44) or right (n=7) LDN.
• Mean operative time was 115±11 minutes, mean warm ischemia time was 111±9 seconds, and mean hospital stay was 2.5±0.5 days.
• Complications included one lumbar vein rupture (managed laparoscopically), two cases of paralytic ileus, and three instances of postoperative atelectasis with fever.

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy offers advantages such as reduced hospital stay, decreased analgesic requirements, and improved cosmetic results.
• LDN is a safe and effective procedure when performed by experienced laparoscopic surgeons.
• Careful patient selection and experienced surgical technique are key to minimizing complications.