Laparoscopic live donor right nephrectomy: a new technique to maximize the length of the renal vein using a modified Endo GIA stapler.

Objectives: To report the utilization of a modified Endo GIA vascular stapler to obtain the full length of the renal vein during transperitoneal laparoscopic live donor right nephrectomy.

Methods: We used a modified Endo GIA stapler, in which the triple staggered rows of staples were removed from the kidney donor side to obtain the full length of the right renal vein. This technique has currently been used in nine consecutive transperitoneal laparoscopic right donor nephrectomies.

Results: With this technique, the entire right renal vein length was harvested in all cases, without vascular complications. Mean renal warm ischemia time from clamping of the renal vessels to cold perfusion was 135s, and mean receptor postoperative glomerular filtration rate after 30 d was 67.3 ml/min. There were no graft losses.

Conclusions: A novel technique for laparoscopic live donor right nephrectomy is described. It allows harvesting the full length of the right renal vein in a safe and feasible way without compromising warm ischemia time.