The aim of this study is to evaluate the graft outcome in kidney recipients, with regard to the warm ischemic time (WIT) in kidney transplantations from open and laparoscopic donor nephrectomies (LDN). From June 2000 to June 2004, 341 LDNs and 480 open laparoscopic donor nephrectomies (ODN) have been performed. Recipient and donor demographics and hospital records of these cases were reviewed. Mean age of donors and recipients in LDN groups were 27.59±4.80 and 35.36±14.85 years. Mean follow-up was 13.32±35.98 months. Mean WIT was 1.87 minutes in ODNs and 8.17 minutes in LDMs. Median serum creatinine level (mg/dl) in LDNs and ODNs were 1.30 and 1.20 at day seven (p=0.02), 1.45 and 1.30 at month one (p=0.016), 1.40 and 1.27 at month three (p=0.01), 1.30 and 1.30 at month six (p=0.178), 1.20 and 1.20 at month 12 (p=NS), 1.20 and 1.30 at month 24 (p=NS), and 1.25 and 1.30 at month 36 (p=0.57), respectively. One-year graft survival for ODN was 92.7%, while it was 92.7%, 94.6%, and 92.6% in LDN groups with WITs of <6, 6 to 10, and >10 minutes, respectively. Hospital stay was 3.47±1.10 days. Conversion to open surgery occurred in 2.1% of donors and reoeperation was performed in 3.8% of LDNs. Immunosuppressive regimen was similar in both groups.
According to our findings, it seems that LDN has an overall desirable outcome in recipients. However, creatinine level at the first months may be higher. Warm ischemic time (in the time range presented), albeit higher in LDN, has no significant effect on recipients’ graft function in one year.