Laparoscopic-Assisted Live Donor Nephrectomy: A Comparison of Conventional and Transvaginal Routes for Kidney Extraction.
BACKGROUND
Laparoscopic approach has become the standard procedure for living donor nephrectomy in many transplant centers. Because the conventional approach results in cosmetic problems and pain during laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy, transvaginal extraction of an intact kidney has been recently introduced as a minimally invasive technique. Here, we aimed to investigate whether transvaginal extraction of an intact kidney during laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy is associated with decreased postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, and morphine consumption.


METHODS
This prospective data analysis included a total of 27 female donors who underwent laparoscopic removal of a single kidney for living donor nephrectomy through conventional or transvaginal route. Data collected included age, body mass index, ASA scores, histocompatibility, additional medical disorders, peri- and postoperative complications, postoperative pain scores with visual analogue pain scores (VAS), length of postoperative stay, morphine consumption, degree of nausea and vomiting, level of sedation, and pruritus.


RESULTS
No significant differences between the transvaginal and conventional groups were observed in VAS scores and morphine consumption at postoperative 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours. Although not reaching statistical significance, according to analysis of morphine consumption, there was a trend toward decreasing analgesic requirements in the transvaginal group at postoperative 12 and 24 hours. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of degree of nausea or vomiting, or length of postoperative hospital stay.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that with a more desirable cosmetic result, transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery-assisted living donor nephrectomy (TVNALDN) is a suitable new minimally invasive laparoscopic technique associated with reduced postoperative pain and analgesic requirements in select women.
Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Acıbadem University, Acıbadem International Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Meltem
M
Guner Can
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bezmialem University Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Pinar
P
Ozcan
Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman, Turkey.
Sinan
S
Hatipoglu
Department of Transplantation Center, Acıbadem University, Acıbadem International Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Ozgur
O
Cavdaroglu
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman, Turkey.
Filiz
F
Hatipoglu
Department of Transplantation Center, Acıbadem University, Acıbadem International Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Ibrahim
I
Berber
Department of Nephrology, Acıbadem University, Acıbadem International Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Ulkem
U
Cakir
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies