Minimal incision ipsilateral dual kidney transplantation

Abstract Objective Dual kidney transplantation (DKT) was developed because allows the utilization of suboptimal kidneys procured from extended criteria donors. Compared to single kidney transplant, DKT is a demanding procedure, with higher risk of complications [1] , [2] , [3] . In 2006, a mini-invasive technique has been introduced in single kidney transplant, using a minimal incision of 5-8 cm oflength [4] , [5] , [6] , [7] . We describe a novel minimally invasive technique of ipsilateral dual kidney transplantation, using a 8 cm of length mini-incision. Patients and methods The patient was a 67-year-old male, with an end-stage renal disease secondary to a glomerulonephritis, who received two kidneys from a 73-year-old woman, deceased for subarachnoid haemorrhage. Pre-transplant renal biopsies showed a Remuzzi–Karpinski score of 4 and 5. Results Surgical time was 220 min. Warm ischemia times were of 33 min and 31 min, respectively. Post-operative course was uneventful and on POD 11, the patient was discharged in good condition with a normal renal function (creatinine level: 1.0 mg/dl). He remains in healthy conditions with regular kidney function after eighteen months of follow-up. Conclusions Minimal incision ipsilateral dual kidney transplantation (MIDKT) seems technically feasible. Surgical time and warm ischemia times were comparable to those obtained using the conventional technique. Reduced post-operative pain, cosmetic result, absence of complications and good graft function seem promising. MIDKT seems to add the positive aspects of a conventional surgery as the easy achievability and the low costs, to those of a mini-invasive surgery, such as reduced trauma, reduced pain, better cosmetic and faster recovery.