Multidetector Computerized Tomography Angiography to Predict Lumbar Venous Anatomy Before Donor Nephrectomy

Purpose: Multidetector computerized tomography angiography has been used to predict renal anatomy before donor nephrectomy. Unrecognized lumbar veins represent a significant risk during laparoscopic surgery but to our knowledge no previous group has attempted to predict lumbar veins with multidetector computerized tomography angiography before laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. We evaluated the ability of multidetector computerized tomography angiography to preoperatively predict the size and location of anomalous left lumbar veins.Materials and Methods: A prospective study was performed in patients undergoing left hand assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy from January 2003 to September 2004. All patients were imaged using 4-phase computerized tomography, including computerized tomography angiography with 1.25 mm collimation of the arterial and venous phases. Each multidetector computerized tomography angiogram was prospectively reviewed by a radiologist and operating surgeon, and retrospectively reviewed...