Laparoscopic Nephrectomy
Laparoscopic nephrectomy is a surgical innovation that uses minimally invasive technology and techniques to enhance the live-donor procedure. In 1998, California Pacific was the first kidney transplant program in the San Francisco Bay Area to perform a laparoscopic nephrectomy.
A laparoscopic nephrectomy results in a smaller incision, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays. During the procedure, small incisions ( ~ 1cm in length) are made at four key points in the abdominal area to enable insertion of instruments and a miniature camera. The camera is attached to a monitor that the surgeons view to guide their work. A slightly larger incision ( ~ 6cm in length) just above the pubic bone is used to remove the donor's kidney for transplantation.
Typically, laparoscopic nephrectomy patients (donors) spend three-four days in recovery before being discharged, compared to an average of five days with the typical open donor kidney transplant surgery.
Not all donors can undergo laparoscopic nephrectomy. One or two radiologic tests will be performed to see if a laparoscopic nephrectomy is a possibility for any particular donor. Other living donors will undergo a conventional nephrectomy.