Hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy in living donor

OBJECTIVE: Report the authors’ initial experience with hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy technique in renal donors for transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven donors submitted to hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy were retrospectively analyzed from February 2001 to June 2002. Technical aspects of the donor surgery, results, and complications, are discussed, as well as recipient’s complications and outcomes. RESULTS: Among 27 hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomies, left kidney was withdrew in 18 donors (66.6%), and right kidney in 9 (33.3%). The operative time ranged...