Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy in Patients With Aberrant Inferior Vena Caval Anatomy

Abstract

Objectives: Hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy has become an established technique for live-donor organ retrieval. In most cases, the left kidney is removed because of its more favorable anatomic relations, particularly with the major abdominal vessels.

Materials and Methods: We present 2 cases of live donation in which a hand-assisted laparoscopic approach was used to remove the right kidney as indicated by the presence of aberrant vascular anatomy, 1 being situs inversus totalis, the other a left-sided inferior vena cava.

Results: A 41-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man underwent assessment for live-kidney donation. During preoperative investigation, they underwent magnetic resonance imaging that demonstrated situs inversus totalis and a left-sided inferior vena cava. No contraindications to live donation were found during the investigation. In both cases, a right donor nephrectomy was performed owing to an anatomically longer right renal vein. Living donation proceeded without complication in both cases, and both patients had uneventful recoveries.

Conclusions: Abnormalities in vascular anatomy should not be considered an absolute contraindication to donation, even by the hand-assisted laparoscopic donor approach. The use of magnetic resonance scanning preoperatively allows detailed planning of the approach required.