title: [Is the traditional open donor nephrectomy in living donor renal transplantation still up to date?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Living donor kidney transplantation is a well-established method to reduce time on the waiting list. Although the laparoscopic donor nephrectomy has already been established worldwide, more than 80% of the living donor nephrectomies are performed as a traditional open donor nephrectomy in Germany. The aim of our study was to analyze perioperative data and long-term outcome of donors and recipients following open donor nephrectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  From February 2004 to July 2008, a total of 51 open donor nephrectomies were performed in Tuebingen University Hospital. Forty-five data of corresponding transplant donors and recipients were analyzed. The Kocak classification which provides a format to compare postoperative complications after living donor nephrectomy was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five-year graft survival was 100%. No intraoperative complications occurred. Postoperatively Grad I complications were observed in 10 donors (22.2%). In the long term no major complications occurred. Two donors (4.4%) had newly diagnosed hypertension and required antihypertensive medication. None of the donors developed proteinuria. Right-sided transabdominal donor nephrectomy was associated with a shorter mean hospital stay compared to left-sided lumbar nephrectomy. (7.8 ± 2.4 vs. 9.2 ± 1.8 days, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Open donor nephrectomy is a safe procedure with an excellent graft survival. Complication rates in our center are comparable to recent results in laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy. Therefore, the open donor nephrectomy remains important.
authors: Universitätsklinik für Allgemeine, Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie, Tübingen, Germany. karolin.thiel@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors: Karolin
authors: K
authors: Thiel
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Thiel
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Schenk
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Ladurner
authors: Silvio
authors: S
authors: Nadalin
authors: Nils
authors: N
authors: Heyne
authors: Alfred
authors: A
authors: Königsrainer
authors: Wolfgang
authors: W
authors: Steurer
mesh_terms: D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D019520:Living Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome