Patient-reported outcomes for open versus laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy.
BACKGROUND
Rates of living kidney donation have increased dramatically in recent years, in large part because of improved surgical techniques such as laparoscopic nephrectomy.


OBJECTIVE
To compare patient-reported outcomes of laparoscopic nephrectomy versus open donor nephrectomy in 84 adult live kidney donors.


METHODS
Outcomes included perceptions of pain and surgical scarring, number of surgical/medical complications, hospital length of stay, physical health problems related to donation, return to work, financial impact, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction with the donation experience.


CONCLUSIONS
The 2 groups did not differ significantly in pain perceptions, number of surgical/medical complications, physical health problems, financial impact, health-related quality of life, or overall satisfaction. However, laparoscopic nephrectomy donors had significantly fewer hospital days and faster return to work time than open donor nephrectomy donors. The majority of donors report excellent health-related quality of life and no complications in the months following surgery. In addition, it appears that laparoscopic nephrectomy, in comparison to open donor nephrectomy, may reduce barriers to living kidney donation by reducing hospital length of stay and time away from work. Being able to return to work much sooner after surgery may significantly reduce the indirect costs (ie, lost wages) associated with living donation.
Rodrigue
James R
JR
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass, USA.
Cross
Natalie J
NJ
Newman
Robert C
RC
Widows
Michelle R
MR
Guenther
Robert T
RT
Kaplan
Bruce
B
Morgan
Michelle A
MA
Howard
Richard J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome