What is a Living Donor Liver Transplant?
The technique known as laparoscopic donor nephrectomy dramatically reduces trauma for the donor. Surgeons access the kidney by entering instruments through four small “ports,” or puncture wounds in the abdomen one near the belly button, one to the left of the belly button and two in the upper abdomen. The kidney is freed and blood vessels are closed using instruments entered through the ports. Once free, the kidney is then put into a plastic bag. Finally, surgeons enlarge the incision near the belly button to about two and a half inches, and pull the bagged kidney out of the incision. (The plastic bag makes it easier to slip the kidney out.) Doctors expect the simpler, less-traumatic surgery will increase the availability of donor kidneys.
