Right robotic-assisted laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy: initial results from a single-center retrospective study

Background: Laparoscopic nephrectomy for living donors is widely regarded as the standard procedure for kidney transplantation in many medical centers worldwide. The left kidney is generally preferred for transplantation because it offers greater convenience. However, in certain situations, harvesting the right kidney becomes necessary, and this may introduce specific challenges. Robotic living donor nephrectomy (RDN) is increasingly recognized globally as it assists surgeons in managing the limitations of the conventional approach. We report the results of right RDN for kidney transplantation at our center. Methods: All donors who underwent right RDN at Cho Ray Hospital, Vietnam from January 2019 to June 2024 were included in the study. Donors were selected by the Renal Transplantation Council of Cho Ray Hospital according to national donor criteria. Patient demographics, radiologic findings, and surgical outcomes were recorded. Results: . The mean operative time was 172.5±41.8 minutes, with an estimated blood loss of 56.6±33.5 mL. The mean warm ischemic time was 5.5±1.1 minutes (range, 5-8 minutes). No intraoperative complications or open conversions occurred. Mean serum creatinine at 1 month was 0.94±0.09 mg/dL. All recipients demonstrated immediate renal function. Conclusions: Right RDN may be a safe and efficient procedure with promising outcomes for both donors and recipients. This technique should be considered a preferable option when performing right kidney harvesting.