Complication after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy - A case report and review

Background. Laparoscopic procedures are gaining acceptance in the treatment of benign and some malignant urologic disorders. Recently, laparoscopic te chniques have been applied to transplant surgery and touted as a safe alter native to traditional open techniques. Methods. We present a patient who developed a complication from laparoscopi c donor nephrectomy that required open corrective surgery. Results. A 25-year-old man underwent laparoscopic donor nephrectomy at a la rge medical center familiar with the operation. There were no operative or early postoperative complications. Within 6 weeks of the operation, the pat ient developed signs and symptoms of partial small bowel obstruction. Furth er evaluation revealed an internal hernia in the retroperitoneum at the sit e of the nephrectomy. This required a second operation to reduce the hernia and close the defect. Conclusion. Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy remains an evolving technique th at has not stood the test of time. Larger series will eventually reveal whe ther this is the procedure of choice as compared to traditional open donor nephrectomy.