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PubMed2001

[Laparoscopic liver donor nephrectomy. Personal experiences and review of the literature].

Despite improved success rates, the number of kidney transplantations in Germany in the last few years has stagnated, resulting in increasing waiting lists of patients on dialysis. In Germany, only 16.7% of kidney transplantations are living-donor nephrectomies, representing a relatively low rate compared to other countries (The Netherlands 28%, Sweden 35%). Since April 1998, we have performed ten retroperitoneoscopic living-donor nephrectomies (six left, four right side). The mean operating time was 216 min (155-290) with minimal blood loss. No intraoperative complications were observed. Warm ischemia time amounted to a mean of 4 min (2-7). The mean cold ischemia time was 165 min (76-290). Postoperative hospital stay of the donors was 6 days (4-10). All transplants functioned immediately; mean serum creatinine dropped from initially 8.0 mg/dl (5.3-11.5) on day 1 to 1.4 mg/dl (0.9-1.6) 3 months after surgery. This did not differ from previously operated open donor nephrectomies. An analysis of the literature included data of 4240 patients from 25 publications between 1980 and 2000 reporting on either open or laparoscopic living donor nephrectomies.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Handport-assisted laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy; initial experience in Taiwan.

The feasibility of handport-assisted laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy in Taiwan was assessed by comparison with conventional open nephrectomy. Six serial patients undergoing laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy (LLDN) were compared with six patients undergoing open donor nephrectomy. Body-mass index (BMI), operating time, hospital stay, and short-term graft function were assessed in both groups of patients. Handport-assisted LLDN was successfully attempted in all six patients. Mean ischemic time was 4.5 min in the laparoscopic group. There was no major complication in either group. Short-term graft function was good in all patients, except for one case of chronic rejection with mild azotemia in the open group. The length of stay was significantly longer in the open group, but the operation time of the laparoscopic group was much longer than that of the open group. There was no difference in the resumption of diet and in the use of narcotic analgesics in addition to patient-controlled analgesia. LLDN is a technically demanding approach. With handport assistance, the surgeons could shorten their learning curve. While initial graft function rates are equal to those of the open method, cosmesis and hospital stay are improved by the laparoscopic approach. Longer follow-up and larger patient numbers are needed to confirm these initial results in Taiwan.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Laparoscopic right nephrectomy for live kidney donation: functional results.

Laparoscopic live-donor nephrectomy has gained wide acceptance. However, the vast majority of surgeons perform left nephrectomies only, which may not always be in the best interest of the donor. Of 17 consecutive laparoscopic donor nephrectomies, 13 were done on the right side. The function of these grafts was compared with that of 17 kidneys previously procured by an open technique and with that of the four left laparoscopic grafts. Ischaemic damage was evaluated by post-operative nuclear scanning and urinary lysozyme, and graft function by creatinine and creatinine clearance. Results show that operating time was longer in the laparoscopic donors, but identical in right and left laparoscopic procurements. Ischaemic damage and function were similar, regardless of the side or the surgical technique. We can conclude that right laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is feasible and results in good graft function. Systematic harvesting from the left side may, therefore, not be justified.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Health-related quality of life after laparoscopic and open nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative recovery often is assessed with parameters (pain and return to work) susceptible to bias. This study sought objectively to compare postoperative health-related quality of life (HRQL) after laparoscopic and open nephrectomy with the Postoperative Recovery (PRS) (a validated questionnaire designed to assess pain), activities of daily living (ADL), and HRQL in postoperative patients. METHODS: Patients undergoing contemporaneous laparoscopic and open nephrectomy received the PRS pre- and postoperatively. The results were analyzed with analysis of covariance (ANCOV) and survival analysis. RESULTS: The 33 open nephrectomy and 38 laparoscopic patients in this study were comparable in age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and employment. Laparoscopic operative time was longer (p = 0.015), and the hospital stay was shorter (p<0.001). Laparoscopic patients had higher HRQL scores from postoperative days 3 to 365 (p<0.001), and they returned to preoperative HRQL faster (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: An objective HRQL instrument confirms that laparoscopic nephrectomy patients recover faster and with a higher HRQL than open surgery patients. The PRS can be modified for use after other abdominal procedures, and may prove useful for comparisons of other minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2004

Bilateral laparoscopic nephrectomy with simultaneous peritoneal dialysis: a new era.

Peritoneal dialysis is the treatment of choice in children with end-stage renal failure who are awaiting renal transplantation. Traditionally patients requiring bilateral nephrectomy spent time on haemodialysis prior to being converted to peritoneal dialysis during a separate operation. Bilateral synchronous retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy with the initiation of or return to peritoneal dialysis in the immediate postoperative period was performed on three patients with end-stage renal failure in our unit. The indications for bilateral nephrectomy were persistent heavy proteinuria in two children and difficult to control hypertension in the third. Bilateral laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed with the patients in the prone position. Two of the children were then placed in a supine position and a tunneled peritoneal dialysis catheter was inserted in the standard open fashion. The postoperative complications included a peritoneal catheter line breach requiring intraperitoneal antibiotics and a fever that was culture negative and settled spontaneously. This technique allows for immediate peritoneal dialysis, with the added benefit of reduced postoperative pain and improved cosmetic appearance.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Rib resection for live-donor nephrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Living-related kidney transplants yield more favorable results than cadaveric kidney transplant. Although multiple techniques have been described for living-related donor nephrectomy, operation is generally performed subcostally in lateral decubitis position or by an 11th or 12th rib resection. Recently laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is getting popular. The aim of this study is to determine the rib resection increase the morbidity or not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1997 and 2004 in our center 118 living donor nephrectomies were performed. 15 of these patients did not come to follow-up controls. This study consists of 103 patients: 11th rib resection (30 patients) determined as group I, 12th rib resection (52 patients) determined as group II, subcostal incision (21 patients) determined as group III. All these three groups were compared with each other according to operation time, pleural or peritoneal defect, pneumothorax, blood transfusion, wound infection, length of hospital stay, postoperative analgesic requirement, return to threshold activities and incisional hernia. RESULTS: Patients whose 11th rib was removed had the shortest operation time. But pain due to surgery continued more than others in this group of patients. The risk of developing incisional hernia was seen most in patients who had subcostal incision. In this group of patients incidence of incisional hernia was 4 (19%). None of the patients had wound infection. We also did not experience any pneumothorax and blood transfusion requirement. Peritoneal or pleural opening occurred in 4 out of 103 patients accidentally and there was no difference between groups. There was also no difference between groups in terms of returning back to daily activation. CONCLUSION: Morbidity of nephrectomy done with removal of 12th rib was less compared with other groups. Resection of 11th should be reserved for patients with high residing kidneys and also for those with a polar artery of the upper pole.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Nephrectomy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Patients presenting with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) face a dismal prognosis, with a median survival time of only 6 to 12 months and a 2-year survival rate of 10% to 20%. RCC is notoriously chemorefractory, and immunotherapy is associated with total response rates of less than 20% and complete response rates of less than 5%. Therefore, surgery has continued to play a prominent role in the management of patients with metastatic RCC. Recent randomized prospective trials suggest a survival advantage for cytoreductive nephrectomy, and some patients with advanced RCC may also achieve palliation. Patients with limited and resectable metastases should be considered for combined nephrectomy and metastasectomy. The other main option for patients with advanced RCC is systemic immunotherapy followed by assessment for surgical consolidation, but responses in the primary tumor are uncommon and results with this pathway have not been encouraging. Tumor embolization can be a valuable palliative adjunct for some patients with metastatic RCC. Cytoreductive nephrectomy represents the most aggressive pathway for patients with metastatic RCC. Although cytoreductive nephrectomy can extend survival by approximately 50% for many patients, it can be associated with morbidity and delay in administration of systemic therapy. Therefore, patient selection, taking into account performance status and sites and burden of disease, which are well-established prognostic factors for patients with metastatic RCC, is of paramount importance in managing this challenging group of patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

ECG changes under hyperkalemia with nephrectomy in the rat.

Electrolyte abnormalities have become an increasingly important cause of arrhythmias. Although the electrocardiographic (ECG) changes under hyperkalemia in the rat are poorly understood, it is conceivable that excess plasma potassium may also alter the cardiac excitations in the rat. Further, effects of hyperkalemia on ECG in the rat may differ from other species that have ST-segment and longer QT intervals in ECG. The present study was designed to determine the diagnostic criteria for ECG manifestations to various levels of plasma potassium concentration. For this purpose, hyperkalemia was induced by nephrectomy with and without infusions. Because it was difficult to produce various levels of plasma potassium concentration by only nephrectomy, we used two kinds of infusions to obtain especially moderate levels of nephrectomy-induced hyperkalemia. ECGs were recorded 24, 36, and 48 hours after nephrectomy. Plasma potassium concentration and number of abnormal ECGs were increased time-dependently. Increased T wave amplitude was present with mild hyperkalemia. The typical T wave change observed with so-called sinoventricular conduction levels of potassium concentration in species with long QT intervals did not occur in the rat. PR interval and QRS duration became slightly shorter within moderate hyperkalemia. P wave disappeared in most rats at potassium levels above 8.0 mEq/l. In advanced hyperkalemia (plasma potassium concentration above 7.5 mEq/l), conduction in all parts of the heart was suppressed. Moreover, sinoventricular conduction appeared. Thus, the diagnostic criteria for ECG manifestations to various levels of plasma potassium concentration in the rat were demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Laparoscopic bilateral nephrectomy for renin-mediated hypertension.

Hypertension arising from retained native kidneys complicates the management of recipients of renal transplants. Reluctance to administer angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) drugs to patients taking cyclosporine has reopened the question of performing native nephrectomies for poorly controlled, renin-dependent hypertension. We report the first published cases of simultaneous bilateral laparoscopic nephrectomies in 2 patients: 1 in preparation for living-related donor transplantation and the other ten months following cadaver transplantation in a patient whose end-stage renal disease was from malignant nephrosclerosis. Both had very severe hypertension resistant to multiple drugs and both became normotensive with little or no antihypertensive medication following nephrectomies. A bilateral nephrectomy is currently feasible using a laparoscopic approach.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

[Role of nephrectomy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma].

Metastatic kidney cancer is still a devastating disease but it represents a very heterogeneous situation. Some patients will have a median survival limited to some months, while others will live several years. If the initial diagnosis of kidney cancer at metastatic stage is quite uncommon, it raises the question of whether or not performing initial nephrectomy. The point was long debated as it was suggested that initial nephrectomy could result in a spontaneous metastase regression and protect against local complications (hematuria, local pain,...). Today, nephrectomy must not be systematic, as effective alternative treatments are often available. Furthermore spontaneous postoperative metastasis regression is unusual. Two recent prospective randomized trials clarified the impact of initial nephrectomy. It is now accepted that initial surgery prior to systemic immunotherapy results in 30% survival benefit. However this procedure should only be considered for highly selected cases: patients in otherwise good condition (ECOG 0-1), macroscopically complete local resection, no supra-hepatic caval thrombus, and patients suitable for systemic immunotherapy treatment. Several questions remain unanswered, such as lymph node dissection to be performed, and its real survival impact. Furthermore the definition of "suitable" patients for immunotherapy has to be clarified, based on the recent results from the Percy Quatro study. It would probably be more effective to consider only patients with an expected good survival benefit using immunotherapy, such as those classified as "good prognosis" based on the CRECY criteria. Finally the development of new drugs, targeting mainly the angiogenic pathway may lead to different future indications in this setting.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗

PubMed2004

Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy: techniques, results and oncological outcome in 125 consecutive cases.

OBJECTIVES: Renal cell carcinoma is likely to become one of the most important indication for laparoscopic surgery. The laparoscopic technique combines the benefits of minimal invasive approach with established surgical principles. In our institution the laparoscopic transperitoneal approach with intact specimen removal has become the standard technique for radical nephrectomies. We report the indications, techniques and oncological outcome in a single center experience. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between July 1999 and March 2003 we performed laparoscopic radical nephrectomies for renal cell cancer in 125 patients. Their initial staging, complications, and postoperative course were evaluated. During this period a total of about 1800 laparoscopic cases were performed. To date 82 patients were available for follow up data and have been analyzed for oncological outcome. Patients with primary metastatic disease were excluded from this analysis. RESULTS: 123 procedures out of 125 were successful. In two cases (1.6%) conversion to open surgery was necessary due to bleeding (1 case) or bowel injury (1 case). In additional 3 cases (2.4%) intraoperative complications could be managed laparoscopically. In two cases (1.6%) postoperative bleeding lead to open revision for hemostasis. The mean tumor size was 5.1cm (range 2-14 cm); median blood loss was 210 ml (range 50-900 ml). The mean surgical time was 200 min (range 90-435), including the learning curves of five surgeons. Histological findings were pT1 in 78 (62.4%), pT2 in 12 (9.6%) and pT3 in 28 (22.4%) patients. In 7 cases (5.6%) histology did not confirm malignant disease. Positive lymph nodes were detected in 3 cases (2.4%); surgical margins were negative for tumor in all patients. Follow-up was between 3 and 50 months with an average of 23.5 months. Disease progression was observed in 3 cases after 6, 11 and 12 months. No cases of local recurrence or port metastasis occurred during observation. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is a routine, effective treatment for patients with pT1-2N0M0 renal cell carcinoma. With more experience a tumor up to 10-12 m in size can be managed safely offering all the benefits of minimal surgery to the patients. Although no long-term follow-up is available our follow-up data up to 50 months confirm the effectiveness of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in terms of surgical principles and oncological outcome.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Direct access to the renal artery at the level of treitz ligament during left radical laparoscopic transperitoneal nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: To describe and demonstrate the feasibility of early ligature of the renal artery using a direct access to the renal pedicle at the level of the Treitz ligament during left transperitoneal radical laparoscopic nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 42 patient underwent left transperitoneal radical laparoscopic nephrectomies from February 2001 to July 2004. In the first consecutive 27 patients (Group A) we performed early ligature with the standard technique; in the last consecutive 15 patients (Group B) we attempted the early ligature with direct access to the renal artery at the level of the Treitz ligament. Comparative analysis was carried out between the two groups examining operative times, blood loss, intra and post operative complications, postoperative stay. RESULTS: No difference was noted in gender, age and size of the lesions (6.2 versus 6.25 cm respectively, p = 0.9) in the two groups. In 12/15 (80%) of Group B cases we successfully identified and ligated the renal artery at the level of the Treitz ligament. In the other 3 cases (20%) we were constrained to revert to the more common laparoscopic approach. Mean Operative times were 131' in group A versus 137' in group B (p = 0.15). The time required to find the renal artery at the level of Treitz ligament in group B was 16' (15'-30'). No differences were noted between the two groups in terms of blood loss (222 cc versus 268 ml, p = 0.4), intraoperative and postoperative complications (p = 0.6), postoperative stay (5 days in the two groups, p = 0.9). Mean follow-up was average 24 months (15-48) in Group A and average 7 months (3-12) in Group B. No complications and no recurrence of disease at CT evaluation were recorded neither in Group A nor in Group B. CONCLUSIONS: Radical laparoscopic left side nephrectomy with direct access to the renal artery at the level the Treitz ligament is technically feasible and safe and reproduces the classic principles of radical nephrectomy allowing to perform the procedure without any manipulation of the tumor.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy in renal cell cancer--results and reproducibility by different surgeons in a high volume laparoscopic center.

OBJECTIVES: With increasing surgical skills and novel methods of hemostasis laparoscopic Partial nephrectomy has become an attractive treatment option for selected renal tumors. We report techniques, perioperative data and oncological outcome in a single center experience with three different surgeons. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2001 and October 2004, 44 patients underwent laparoscopic transperitoneal partial nephrectomy for exophytic tumors. Median tumor size was 3 cm (1-5 cm). In 25 cases the renal artery was clamped using endoscopic bulldog clamps and tumor resection was performed with scissors or the harmonic scalpel. Hemostasis was achieved by application of FloSeal only; closure of the collecting system with Lahodny sutures was performed, if necessary. Frozen sections were obtained in all cases. RESULTS: All procedures were successful with no intraoperative complications. Mean surgical time was 210 min (115-355 min); clamping time was 21 min (7-41 min) in 25 cases. In 8 cases suturing of the collecting system was required. Margins were negative in 37 cases, in five cases secondary resection was necessary to achieve negative margin status; in two cases radical nephrectomy was performed. There were no significant differences between surgeons in terms of patient data and results. At a mean follow-up of 15 months (6-37 months) no recurrence was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy using FloSeal is a feasible and safe method for treatment of small renal masses. The technique is reproducible by surgeons who are used to complex laparoscopic procedures like expected in high volume laparoscopic centers.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: contemporary technique and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy has emerged as a viable alternative to open partial nephrectomy while minimizing patient morbidity. In this article and accompanying video we describe our current technique of LPN and review our outcomes in specific patient sub-sets. METHODS: Since September 1999 more than 500 laparoscopic partial nephrectomies have been performed by the senior author. Data were collected prospectively. All patients underwent a three-dimensional CT scan prior to the operation. Our established technique involves preoperative ureteral catheterization, laparoscopic renal ultrasonography to delineate the tumor, en bloc clamping of the renal hilar vascular pedicle, tumor excision with cold endoshears, pelvicaliceal suture repair and parenchymal closure over Surgicel bolsters with biologic hemostatic agent. Renal hypothermia was achieved laparoscopically with ice slush in selected cases with anticipated long warm ischemia time. RESULTS: Mean tumor size was 2.9 cm (1-10.3 cm), 31% of the tumors were greater than 3 cm, 5% occurred in a solitary kidney, and tumor location was central in 40% and hilar in 6% of patients. Transperitoneal approach was employed in 65% of the cases. Mean warm ischemia time was 32 min. Intraoperative complications occurred in 5.5%. Pathology confirmed renal cell carcinoma in 75% of the tumors. In the initial 100 patients with a 3 years minimum follow-up, overall survival was 86% and cancer-specific survival was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is a technically challenging procedure. Adequate prior experience with laparoscopy is necessary. Long-term functional and oncological outcomes are being confirmed currently.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗

PubMed2006

Autologous fibrin glue using the Vivostat system for hemostasis in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Haemostasis remains the greatest challenge during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Use of fibrin sealant currently is increasing. We describe first a technique for achieving effective haemostasis during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy using the Vivostat system. METHODS: Ten patients underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Autologous fibrin sealant was prepared with the Vivostat system and applied to the resection bed. This system is an automated medical device for the preparation of an autologous fibrin sealant, generating up to 5 ml of sealant from 120 ml of the patient's blood. The concentration of fibrin and the volume of sealant are stable; the sealant may be kept at room temperature for up to 8 hours before application without a loss of properties and effectiveness. The patients were evaluated for acute and delayed bleeding. RESULTS: Mean patient's age was 54 years (range, 31-68). Haemostasis was immediate in all cases after application of the sealant for 1 to 2 minutes to the resection site; no additional haemostatic measures were required. Mean warm ischemia time was 23 minutes (range, 20-27); mean blood loss was 90 cc (range, 20-200). Pre-operative and post-operative serum haemoglobin did not differ significantly (mean, 14.9 vs 12.6g/dl) and creatinine values (mean, 0.91 vs 0.95 ng/ml). Mean operative time was 136 minutes (range, 60-180). No postoperative bleeding or other complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, immediate haemostasis was achieved and maintained after the kidney was reperfused. Our initial experience with the Vivostat system in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy has been encouraging.

Adult↗

PubMed2007

A review on follow-up strategies for renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To provide a comprehensive review of the evidence supporting the necessity for follow-up after nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: We searched the Medline, MeSH, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases using the terms "renal cell cancer," "kidney neoplasm," "follow-up," "surveillance," "prognosis," and "staging" to look for human/English language/Randomized Controlled Trials/Clinical trials/Review articles/Meta-analysis/Practiced Guidelines, and Editorials. RESULTS: No consensus currently exists on surveillance guidelines after radical or partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. The rationale for follow-up strategies is to detect local recurrence or metastatic disease and to allow appropriate treatment. Most of the surveillance protocols recommend various follow-up strategies for all tumour stages. The emphasis on follow-up should be during the first 3-5 yr after nephrectomy. There is no consensus about which investigations should be performed and at what intervals. Most surgeons rely on symptom enquiry, physical examination, chest x-ray, and computed tomography scanning. A protocol based on the stage of the initial tumour is adapted by the majority of the investigators. Patients should be followed similarly after radical or partial nephrectomy on the basis of stage-oriented protocols. The combination of various prognostic factors requires further validation over stage-based protocols. There is a paucity of guidelines in the literature regarding follow-up for patients with hereditary forms of renal cell carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Current guidelines for follow-up are based on observational and case studies. While this fact precludes a high level of evidence-based guidelines, we have to conclude that this is the best available evidence to date.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗

PubMed2006

Incidence of ureteral strictures after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: Previous reports of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy have suggested that preservation of the gonadal vein with the specimen is important for preventing ureteral strictures. To test this hypothesis we examined our series of patients for the incidence of ureteral strictures when the gonadal vein was not preserved with the specimen during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 300 consecutive patients at our institution who underwent laparoscopic donor nephrectomy between 2000 and 2005. Mean donor age was 36.7 years (range 18 to 68) in the 167 female and 133 male donors. Mean recipient age was 38.4 years. Average followup was 2 years. During ureteral dissection the gonadal vein was transected just distal to the renal vein and left in situ. The ureter was dissected and transected at the level of the common iliac vessels. Indwelling ureteral stents were used for all recipient ureteral reimplantations and left in place for 1 month. In the postoperative period transplant recipients were followed biweekly for serum creatinine function during month 1 and monthly thereafter. All patients with increased creatinine (greater than 1.3 mg/dl) or an increasing trend were evaluated with transplant renal ultrasound. Clinically significant ureteral stricture was defined as persistent hydronephrosis resulting in impaired renal function and the need for percutaneous nephrostomy tube placement or ureteroscopic management. RESULTS: After laparoscopic living donor transplantation without gonadal vein preservation we found no incidence of clinically significant ureteral stricture. CONCLUSIONS: Gonadal vein preservation with the specimen during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is not necessary. Preservation of the periureteral blood supply is sufficient to prevent ureteral strictures.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Hand-assisted laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy: report of 100 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy is not yet widespread in Japan. After our first hand-assisted laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy (HALapNx) in 2001, we report our 100 cases and examine the possibility of making this technique widely available in Japan. METHODS: HALapNx was performed in 100 cases (44 males and 56 females) from February 2001 through July 2003. The operative procedure for HALapNx was briefly described here. First, 2 12-mm ports were placed in the midaxillary line at the superior and inferior level of the umbilicus. Next, a 5-cm incision was made in the midline periumbilicus and the hand port system was fitted through the abdominal incision. After 10 mm Hg pneumoperitoneum, HALapNx begins with mobilization of the left colon. RESULTS: HALapNx was completed successfully in all cases and no patients required conversion to laparotomy. The estimated blood loss was 33.5 +/- 40.3 g and no patient required blood transfusion. The mean operative time was 168.8 +/- 47.6 minutes, and there was no major complication in a donor. CONCLUSIONS: HALapNx is technically feasible and may offer several advantages over open donor nephrectomy in terms of less blood loss, less postoperative pain, and minimal cosmetic disfigurement. In Japan, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is not yet widespread, possibly due to the need for surgical laparoscopic skills. We believe that the best way to make laparoscopic donor naphrectomy widely available is through hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

Adult↗