J Korean Soc Transplant.  2003 Dec;17(2):186-191.

Video Assisted Minilaparotomy Surgery (VAMS) Live Donor Nephrectomy

• Rha KH
• Kim YS
• Kim SI
• Kim DJ
• Park K
• Yang SC

Abstract

PURPOSE
We have devised a new surgical method of video-assisted minilaparotomy surgery-live donor nephrectomy (VAMS-LDN), which is a hybridized form of laparoscopic and open surgery that combines the advantages of both. We present our series of 202 consecutive patients.
METHODS
Since 1993 we have performed 202 successful VAMS-LND. All 202 healthy kidney donors' characteristics and their postoperative courses were retrospectively reviewed and all data were compared to 95 open donor nephrectomies performed during the same period.
RESULTS
The mean age and weight of the patients were 37.1+/-9.5 years and 61.6+/-3.3 kg, respectively. The mean operating time was 139+/-39 minutes which was similar to open donor nephrectomy but shorter than laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. There were no major intraoperative complication except two tears to lumbar veins which required transfusion. The mean warm ischemic time was 2.2+/-0.7 minutes which was equal to open donor nephrectomy. Patients experienced less postoperative pain and recovered quicker compared to open donor nephrectomy.
CONCLUSION
VAMS-LDN is a safe and minimally invasive technique for live donor nephrectomy, incorporating advantages of both conventional open and laparoscopic methods. VAMS-LDN is a viable option for living donor kidney transplantation.

Keyword

Minilaparotomy; Laparoscopy; Living donors; Nephrectomy

MeSH Terms

Humans
Intraoperative Complications
Kidney
Kidney Transplantation
Laparoscopy
Laparotomy*
Living Donors
Nephrectomy*
Pain, Postoperative
Retrospective Studies
Tissue Donors*
Veins
Warm Ischemia