Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy in Hawaii.

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy for transplant is a minimally invasive, effective, and safe operation that also provides less post-operative pain and earlier return to pre-donation activity. In review of the first 10 cases, no major complications occurred and mean hospital stay was 3.7 days. All recipients of these kidneys displayed excellent allograft function (mean creatinine--1.5 mg/dL) and no ureteral problems. Successful use of this procedure has also resulted in a steady increase in the number of living transplants performed in Hawaii and perhaps this will impact the 330 patients currently awaiting renal transplant.