Kidney Autotransplantation: A Dual Centre Experience.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Nephrology
• Transplant Surgery

Background:

• Kidney autotransplantation is a rare but accepted renal preservation technique for select patients with limited options.
• Robotic kidney autotransplantation offers a less invasive alternative to open procedures for specific patient groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review outcomes of kidney autotransplantation performed at two centers between 2014 and 2023.
• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of both open and robotic kidney autotransplantation techniques.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational review of all kidney autotransplantation cases within the study period.
• Data collection included patient demographics, clinical details, and follow-up outcomes.
• Surgical approaches (open vs. robotic) were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Eleven kidney autotransplants were performed, with a median age of 47 years.
• Autotransplantation was performed open in seven cases and robotically in four.
• No mortalities occurred, and no patients required dialysis post-surgery, though two grafts were lost.

Conclusions:

• Renal autotransplantation is a crucial last resort for complex cases where other methods fail.
• It provides renal preservation for patients who might otherwise be inoperable or require dialysis/allograft transplant.
• The technique is safe and effective for kidney salvage in carefully selected patients.