When a living donor kidney transplant takes place, the kidney is removed from the donor and transplanted into the recipient. We remove the donated kidney using keyhole (also known as laparoscopic techniques).
Experience
We have the largest experience of hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (HALDN) in the UK. This is more commonly known as keyhole surgery to remove a kidney. The programme was started in 2003, with the assistance of surgeons from the University of Minnesota.
What we do
All of our live donor operations are performed using this technique, no matter how complex. Nationally, the risk of major complications for this type of keyhole surgery is under 5%. Our major complication rates are even lower, at 1-2%. Only 1 in 100 patients need conversion to open surgery.
In our experience keyhole surgery is just as safe as open or traditional surgery. Donors also tend to experience less discomfort, return to work faster and are less likely to suffer complications than with traditional surgery.
Our results
Donors are normally out of bed the day after surgery and able to leave hospital within three to four days. Returning to normal activities (including work) takes up to six weeks and heavy physical labour should be avoided for three months. However, most patients are doing well at home after two weeks.
The future
Currently, we perform up to four living donor operations per week. This has enabled us to develop a laparoscopic training programme and we are one of the major training units in the UK for this type of surgery. We also assist other UK transplant units who wish to learn this technique.