Background: This article shows the details of robot-assisted kidney transplantation (RAKT) from a living donor. RAKT was performed with Da Vinci Si.
Methods: The patient was placed supine with the legs parted and in Trendelenburg position. The Da Vinci robot was docked between the legs. Kidney allograft was given from a living donor. Before vascular anastomosis, a kidney allograft was prepared on the back table including insertion of a double-J stent in the ureter. The kidney allograft was wrapped in an ice-packed gauze to lower the temperature during the anastomosis time. A 12-mm port for robotic camera, three 8-mm ports for robotic arms, and a 12-mm port for an assistant were placed. After creating peritoneal pouch for the kidney allograft, dissection of iliac vessels and bladder was performed. Through a 6-cm Pfannenstiel incision, the kidney was inserted into the peritoneal pouch lateral to right iliac vessels. After the external iliac vein was clamped with Bulldogs clamps, a venotomy was given and the graft renal vein was anastomosed to the external iliac vein in an end-to-side continuous manner with a 6/0 GORE-TEX CV-6 (W.L. Gore and Associates Inc., Flagstaff, AZ, USA). After the graft renal vein was clamped, the iliac vein was declamped. Similarly, clamping of the external iliac artery, arteriotomy, arterial anastomosis with a 6/0 GORE-TEX CV-6, clamping of the graft renal artery, and declamping of the external iliac artery were performed. Reperfusion was done and ureteroneocystostomy was performed according to the Lich-Gregoir technique. Jackson-Pratt drain was placed through one of working ports and the peritoneum was closed at a few locations with Hem-o-lok.
Results: Three patients were operated with RAKT. The mean surgery duration was 441 minutes. The mean postoperative hospital days were 7.3 days. The mean of lowest post-operation creatine was 1.38 mg/dL.
Conclusions: RAKT could be an alternative method in kidney transplantation.