title: Comparison of laparoscopic versus hand-assisted live donor nephrectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to compare hand-assisted laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy with the classic laparoscopic method, using meta-analytical techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was performed for studies comparing hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy with classic laparoscopic nephrectomy for live kidney donation between 1999 and 2005. The following end points were evaluated: operative time, warm ischemia time, intraoperative adverse events, donor and recipient postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine comparative studies matched the selection criteria, reporting on 376 patients, of whom 202 (53.7%) had hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy and 174 (46.3%) had the classic laparoscopic technique. Conversion to open surgery was 2.97% in the hand-assisted group and 4.60% in the laparoscopic group (P=0.35). Total operative and warm ischemia times were significantly shorter for hand-assisted laparoscopy by 30.03 minutes (P=0.02) and 1.14 minutes (P<0.001), respectively. The intraoperative blood loss was less for the hand-assisted laparoscopy group by 34.16 mL (P=0.008), although intraoperative (3.46% vs. 7.47%; P=0.24) and postoperative (5.94% vs. 10.34%; P=0.30) donor complications and recipient complications (including delayed graft function and primary nonfunction, 8.41% vs. 7.42%; P=0.32) were similar between the hand-assisted and laparoscopic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy appeared to have the same donor and recipient complication rate with standard laparoscopy but offered substantial advantages in terms of shortened operative and warm ischemia time as well as decreased intraoperative bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Imperial College London, Department of Biosurgery and Surgical Technology, St. Mary's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kokkinos
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nanidis
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antcliffe
authors.forename: Ara W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Darzi
authors.forename: Paris
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tekkis
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papalois
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D019520:Living Donors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome