[Living-donor robotic-assisted kidney transplantation: French academic center experience]

The main objective was to report the intra-, post-operative and functional outcomes of living-donor robotic-assisted kidney transplantation (RAKT), performed by a surgeon skilled in robotic surgery. The secondary objective was to compare the results of RAKT, based on the surgeon's experience.

For this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data from consecutive patients who underwent living-donor RAKT from July 2015 to March 2020 and compared the results of RAKT according to the surgeon's experience (group 1: 1-14th RAKT versus group 2: 15-29th RAKT).

Twenty-nine living-donor RAKT were performed. The median age and BMI of the recipients were: 57.0 (44.0-66.0) years and 32.7 (23.5-39.6)kg/m². The median overall operative time and median console time were: 140.0 (122.5-165.0) and 120.0 (107.5-137.5) minutes. The median rewarming time, arterial, venous and urinary anastomoses durations were: 35.0 (27.5-45.0), 15.0 (11.0-20.0), 12.0 (10.0-16.0), 20.0 (16.0-23.0) minutes. Two (6.9%) minor and 5 (17.2%) major (Clavien-Dindo≥III) postoperative complications occurred. At 2 years of follow-up, patient and transplant survival was 100% (n=29) and 93.1% (n=27). After the 14th RAKT, the rewarming time (P=0.01) and venous anastomosis duration (P=0.004) were statistically shorter.

Living-donor robotic-assisted kidney transplantation, performed by a surgeon skilled robotic surgery, ensures good functional results in the medium term.

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