Comparison between laparoscopic and subcostal mini-incision for live donor nephrectomy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the results of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy with open donor nephrectomy.

Methods: A non-randomized prospective analysis was conducted of living donor kidney transplantations (118 open donor nephrectomies; 57 laparoscopic donor nephrectomies) between January 2005 and December 2007 in the Kidney Transplantation Unit of Hospital das Clínicas of Faculdade de Medicina of the Universidade de São Paulo.

Results: Mean donor operative time, mean donor hospital stay, mean postoperative creatinine values, and rates of complications and graft survival were similar for both groups.