Live Donation of Kidney Easier

November 27, 1998 -- Dr. Michael Mastrangelo performed the first live-donor Laparoscopic Nephrectomy at the University of Kentucky. Transplant surgeons and physicians at UK report that this procedure is much less painful for the donor and requires much less recovery time than the traditional surgical procedure to remove a donor kidney. Doctors hope this new procedure will enable and encourage a greater number of kidney donations from living donors. About 30% of the approximate 12,000 kidney transplants performed in the U.S. each year involve a live donor, even though the transplant success rate is higher for live-donor transplants. Dr. Bruce Lucas, UK's kidney transplant director, says that both potential donors and recipients are reluctant to have donors commit to the complications and longer recovery time of the traditional surgical procedure, which requires a large incision and often the removal of part of one rib. Four to six weeks of recovery is typical with the traditional surgical method of kidney removal; whereas, Beverly Graham, the first donor at UK to receive laparoscopic nephrectomy, was able to leave the hospital in less than 48 hours after her surgery.

The laparoscopic nephrectomy involves making small incisions, or ports, at key points on the body surface around the kidney to permit the insertion of instruments and a small camera that is connected to a monitor to guide the surgeons work. The kidney is removed through a slightly larger incision in the center of the donor's abdomen.

Please click on the link below to receive further information on this procedure and other minimally invasive surgical procedures available at the University of Kentucky Medical Center:

To learn more about the UK Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, click here.

To learn more about being a potential kidney donor, click here.

To make an appointment or find a physician, please call UK HealthCare at 859-257-1000 or toll free 1-800-333-8874.
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Page last updated Thursday, February 8, 2007 11:04 AM