Laparoscopic v laparoscopy-assisted donor nephrectomy in the porcine model.
OBJECTIVE
Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is an established procedure in the porcine model. We sought to compare intraoperative variables between live laparoscopic (LAP) and laparoscopy-assisted (LAP-A) donor nephrectomy.


METHODS
Eight domestic pigs underwent either traditional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (N = 4) or laparoscopy-assisted donor nephrectomy (N = 4) using the Pneumosleeve followed by conventional heterotopic autotransplantation.


RESULTS
No significant differences were noted between the groups with regard to vessel length, ureteral length, or postoperative urine output. The operating room time was 108+/-12 minutes in the LAP group v 75.8+/-10.3 minutes in the LAP-A group (P = 0.0065). Although the difference was not statistically significant, warm ischemic time, tended to be lower in the LAP-A than the LAP group: 70+/-3.0 seconds v 135+/-57 seconds, respectively (P = 0.059). Graft survival was identical in the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopy-assisted (via Pneumosleeve) live donor nephrectomy shortens the operative time without affecting graft survival in the domestic swine model.
West
D A
DA
Division of Urology, St. Louis University Health Sciences Center, Missouri, USA.
Rallo
M C
MC
Moore
R G
RG
Vogler
G A
GA
Niehoff
M
M
Parra
R O
RO
Varma
C
C
Smith
G S
GS
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D010535:Laparoscopy; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous