Surgical complications of open nephrectomy in living related donors in Yemen: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE

Renal transplantation from living related donor is the best treatment option for chronic renal failure with experience for more than 50 years. However, this procedure may expose the health and even the life of otherwise normal individuals to risk. In this prospective study we described the surgical complications of open donor nephrectomies by Clavien grading system.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Between May 2002 and December 2014, one hundred and seventy-two potentially healthy kidney donors were admitted to Althawrah General Hospital, Ibn-Sina Hospital and Military Hospital. The median age was 34 years (19-60 years) with male predominance in 64.5% of the cases. This prospective descriptive study reviews intra-, and post-operative surgical complications using Clavien grading system for surgical complications.

RESULTS

The procedure was done via supracostal lumbotomy incision (above 12 rib) in 112 cases (65.1%) and transcostal incision with resection of 11th rib in 60 cases (34.9%). Left kidney was taken in most of the cases (68%) while right kidney in the remaining 42% with an average warm ischemia time of 31 seconds (range, 22-34 seconds). Surgical complications by Clavien grading system were observed in 18.6% of the cases (32 cases). Grade 1 in 28 (16.4%); Grade 2 in 2 (1.2%) and Grade 3 in 2 cases (1.2%) were detected. There was no grade 4 or 5 cases in our series. Median postoperative hospital stay was 3 days (range: 2-4 days).

CONCLUSION

We found that most of the complications of open living donor nephrectomy are of grade I and higher grade complications are negligible compared to the advantages for the recipients.