"Deviceless" hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy

Hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy (HLN) in living donors is a minimally invasive surgical modality that uses classic laparoscopic techniques combined with the surgeon's hand as a support tool during renal dissection. We describe our experience with 14 donors undergoing HLN with a novel “deviceless” technique (DL-HLN). We used a midline or a paramedian incision. The first 10-mm trocar (camera) was inserted near the umbilicus and another 10-mm trocar placed under laparoscopic vision at the level of the anterior axillary line above the iliac crest. DL-HLN was performed in 14 patients (11 women and 3 men) of overall mean age of 40 years (range = 33-60). Left nephrectomy was performed in all cases. Mean surgical time was 105 minutes (range = 60-150). Estimated blood loss was 50 to 800 mL (mean = 200 mL). Mean warm ischemia time was 3.5 minutes (range = 2-11). Mean hospital stay was 4 days (range = 3-6). In one case, uncontrollable hemorrhage developed due to a renal vein lesion at the level of the adrenal vein outlet, requiring conversion to open surgery. As to graft function, recipient serum creatinine on day 7 ranged from 0.9 to 2.6 mg/dL (mean = 1.6). We used no device in our technique. The pneumoperitoneum was maintained by the sealing effect of the muscular fascia around the surgeon's wrist. Moreover, the kidney was removed through the hand port without an Endobag. Our modified HLN technique avoids the use of costly disposables and offers the advantages of a smaller incision.