Research from UCLA Medical Center, Department of Urology yields new findings on health and medicine. - Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week

A report, 'Experience with 750 consecutive laparoscopic donor nephrectomies--is it time to use a standardized classification of complications,' is newly published data in The Journal of Urology. 'Laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy offers patients the benefits of decreased morbidity and improved cosmesis, while maintaining equivalent graft outcomes and complication rates similar to those of open donor surgery. With expressed concern for donor safety, using a standardized complication scale would allow combining data in a donor registry so potential donors could be adequately followed and counseled,' scientists writing in the Journal of Urology report (see also Health and Medicine).

'We present the largest series to our knowledge of laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy by a single surgeon. The institution's initial 750 laparoscopic living donor nephrectomies were included in the study, and a retrospective and prospective chart and database analysis was performed. Mean donor age was 40.5 years and average body mass index was 25.7 kg/m[superscript]2. There were 175 patients (23%) with 2 or more renal arteries while 161 (21.5%) had early arterial bifurcations. There were 3 open conversions (0.4%) and the overall complication rate was 5.46%. Median hospital stay was 1 day and the readmission rate was 1.2%. There were 5 reoperations (0.67%), none of which was for the control of bleeding. No patients required a blood transfusion and there were no mortalities. Using a modified Clavien classification of complications for living donor nephrectomy 65.8% were grade 1, 31.7% grade 2 (12.2% grade 2a, 14.6% grade 2b, 4.9% grade 2c) and 2.4% grade 3. There were no grade 4 complications. With appropriate patient selection and operative experience, laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy is a safe procedure associated with low morbidity,' wrote J.D. Harper and colleagues, UCLA Medical Center, Department of Urology.

The researchers concluded: 'The use of a standardized complication system specific for this procedure is encouraged and could aid in counseling potential donors in the future.'

Harper and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Urology (Experience with 750 consecutive laparoscopic donor nephrectomies--is it time to use a standardized classification of complications? Journal of Urology, 2010;183(5):1941-6).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting J.D. Harper, UCLA Medical Center, Dept. of Urology, Los Angeles, California 90095 USA.

Keywords: City:Los Angeles, State:California, Country:United States, Health and Medicine.

This article was prepared by Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week via NewsRx.com.