Minimally invasive kidney transplantation is emerging modality of treatment; both laparoscopic and robotic assisted laparoscopic kidney transplantation are technically feasible and safe. In female recipients, kidney can be introduced through the vagina into the abdominal cavity to carry out robotic assisted laparoscopic kidney transplantation (RKT-V). 24 female recipients gave consent for RKT-V and data were compared to 46 open kidney transplantation (OKT). RKT-V carried out successfully in all cases without conversion to open operation. There was no difference in operative time, blood loss, re-warming time in either group. Sixteen out of 24 patients in RKT-V group did not require post-operative analgesic medications and in remaining 8 patients, mean analgesic requirement was 0.8 mg of morphine equivalent. In OKT group mean analgesic requirement was 3.2 mg of morphine equivalent medications on first post-operative day. No patient had delayed graft function and one year graft and patient survival in both cohort was similar with tacrolimus based immunosuppressant regime. One recipient conceived and delivered a baby by lower segment caesarian section in RKT-V group. In conclusion, RKT-V is feasible and safe with graft function and survival is similar to open kidney transplantation. RKT-V is associated with minimal pain and better cosmetic appearance.

CITATION INFORMATION: Modi P, Pal B, Kumar S, Nagarajan R, Kothari V, Modi M, Shah V, Kute V, Patel H, Trivedi H. Kidney Insertion Through Vagina and Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Kidney Transplantation: A Pilot Study. Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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