Robotic Assisted Living Donor Nephrectomies: A Safe Alternative to Laparoscopic Technique for Kidney Transplant Donation

M. Spaggiari¹, R. Garcia-Roca², J. Oberholzer³, K. Tulla¹, O. Okoye¹, C. Di Bella¹, H. Jeon⁴, I. G. Tzvetanov¹, E. Benedetti¹

¹Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, ²Surgery, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, ³Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, ⁴Surgery, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 137

Keywords: Donation, Laparoscopy, Obesity, Outcome

Session Information

Session Name: Kidney Living Donor: Other I

Session Type: Oral Abstract Session

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

Session Time: 3:15pm-4:45pm

Presentation Time: 4:27pm-4:39pm

Location: Virtual

*Purpose: To review outcomes after laparoscopic, robotic-assisted living donor nephrectomy (RLDN) in the first, and largest series reported to date.

*Methods: Retrospective chart review of 1084 consecutive RLDNs performed between 2000 and 2017. Patient demographics, surgical data, and complications were collected.

*Results: Five patients underwent conversion to open procedures between 2002 and 2005, while the remainder were successfully completed robotically. Median donor age was 35.7 (17.4) years, with a median BMI of 28.6 (7.7) kg/m². Nephrectomies were preferentially performed on the left side (95.2%). Multiple renal arteries were present in 24.1%.. Median operative time (ORT) was 159 (54) minutes, warm ischemia time (WIT) 180 (90) seconds, estimated blood loss (EBL) 50 (32) mL and length of stay 3 (1) days. Complications were reported in 216 patients (19.9%), of which 176 patients (81.5%) were minor (Clavien-Dindo class I and II). Duration of surgery, warm ischemia time, operative blood loss, conversion and complication rates were not associated with increase in BMI.

*Conclusions: RLDN is a safe technique and offers a reasonable alternative to conventional laparoscopic surgery, in particular in donors with higher BMI and multiple arteries. It offers transplant surgeons a platform to develop skills in robotic-assisted surgery needed in the more advanced setting of minimal invasive recipient operations.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Spaggiari M, Garcia-Roca R, Oberholzer J, Tulla K, Okoye O, Bella CDi, Jeon H, Tzvetanov IG, Benedetti E. Robotic Assisted Living Donor Nephrectomies: A Safe Alternative to Laparoscopic Technique for Kidney Transplant Donation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/robotic-assisted-living-donor-nephrectomies-a-safe-alternative-to-laparoscopic-technique-for-kidney-transplant-donation/. Accessed May 16, 2025.

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