Effect of donor pneumoperitoneum on early allograft perfusion following renal transplantation in pediatric patients: an intraoperative Doppler ultrasound study.

Decreased perfusion and trauma during laparoscopic harvesting are proposed causative factors for DGF and rejection in children following renal transplantation with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) allograft. We performed a retrospective review of 11 children who underwent LDN transplant and 11 preceding patients who underwent ODN transplant. Intraoperative DUS findings, creatinine values and clearance, time to nadir creatinine and AR episodes were compared. There were no significant differences in the BMI, vascular anatomy, side of nephrectomy, or warm ischemia time in the two groups. Mean follow-up duration was 11.4 and 30.4 months in LDN and ODN groups. DUS showed initial turbulent flow in five of the LDN and four of the ODN group with an average RI of 0.59 and 0.66 in the ODN and LDN groups, respectively (NS). Three patients in the ODN group had an abnormal RI compared to none in the LDN group (p = 0.034). The creatinine values, creatinine clearances (at 24 h, one, four wk and last follow-up) and AR episodes were similar in both groups. Pneumoperitoneum during LDN does not appear to have an adverse impact on early graft reperfusion.