title: Laparoscopy, dorsal lumbotomy and flank incision live donor nephrectomy: comparison of donor outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Flank incision (FL), dorsal lumbotomy (DL) and laparoscopic surgery have been effective approaches to donor nephrectomy. While laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) has become increasingly popular, there has yet to be a direct comparison of the three modalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective chart review of FL, DL and LDN operations between 2002 and 2010 within a single institution. Donor and recipient characteristics, as well as surgical outcomes, were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 496 donor nephrectomy operations available for analyses. Patients in the LDN group had the lowest estimated blood loss, compared to the DL and FL groups (p < 0.001), lowest rate of complications (p < 0.01), and shortest hospital stay (p < 0.0001). Donors who underwent DL used an average of 60.12 ± 5.0 mg of morphine, which was significantly less than that used by patients in the LDN (93.2 mg, p < 0.0001) and FL (111.82 mg, p < 0.001) groups. Mean serum creatinine of recipients at day 1 post-op was the highest in the FL group (p < 0.0001 FL vs. LDN, p < 0.001 FL vs. DL), but there were no significant differences between the three groups at 2 weeks, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months post-operation (p > 0.45).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a lower pain experience of LDN was not indicated, the use of LDN should be favoured over DL and FL as it is associated with fewer complications, and shorter length of stay. Of note, DL appears to be associated with higher complications and is likely not a preferred option for donor nephrectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC;
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Samarasekera
authors.forename: David S H
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.forename: Steven S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nguan