The effect of pneumoperitoneum on kidney function in laparoscopic donor nephrectomy

Between June 1999 and November 2001 a prospective study was conducted to evaluate the effects of pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy on kidney function using two different pressure settings (15 and 10 mm Hg). The effects were evaluated in both the donor's remaining kidney and the procured kidney in the recipient. There was no statistical significant difference in donors and recipients in regard to age, gender, and body mass index. In the two donor groups there was no difference in operative time (2.77 +/- 0.51 vs 2.70 +/- 0.52 hours; P = 0.579), intraoperative fluid (16.53 +/- 4.72 vs 19.54 +/- 7.04, P = 0.056), and urine output (1.81 +/- 0.53 vs 1.75 +/- 0.96 mL/kg/hour, P = 0.782) respectively. Donors' preoperative and first-day postoperative serum creatinine concentrations also did not differ for the groups (preoperative 0.87 +/- 0.21 vs 0.88 +/- 0.17 mg/dL; and postoperative 1.44 +/- 0.32 vs 1.38 +/- 0.29 mg dL, respectively; P = 0.696). Recipients' preoperative and postoperative serum creatinine concentrations on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 30 differed over time (P < 0.001) but not between groups (P = 0.541). We conclude that procurement of kidneys under either 10 or 15 mm Hg abdominal pressure gives equally good intraoperative and postoperative results.