title: [Surgical technique for laparoscopic kidney donation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dialysis cannot fully replace kidney function in patients diagnosed with end-stage renal disease. Patients undergoing dialysis therapy show a significantly reduced quality of life, morbidity and mortality compared to healthy individuals. Every patient diagnosed with end-stage renal disease should be evaluated for a potential kidney transplant, potentially by means of living-donor kidney donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Via living-donor kidney donation, patients diagnosed with end-stage renal disease can receive a kidney transplant already before dialysis therapy needs to be initiated. Those patients show a significantly improved long-term graft and patient survival in comparison to patients transplanted after cadaveric organ donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We here describe the evaluation process of living-donor kidney donation and the procedure of transperitoneal laparoscopic donor-nephrectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although technically demanding, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy after careful donor evaluation is a safe procedure. An interdisciplinary medical-surgical management is important for both careful patient selection and life-long aftercare.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hackl
authors.affiliation: Innere Medizin II, Abteilung für Nephrologie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Böger
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schlitt
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farkas
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D018454:Spouses; D016019:Survival Analysis; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement