Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy: A Retrospective Bicentric Comparison of Learning Curves and Surgical Outcomes From 2 High-volume European Centers

Background. Although laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) represents the gold-standard technique for kidney living donation, robotic donor nephrectomy (RDN) settled as another appealing minimally invasive technique over the past decades. A comparison between LDN and RDN outcomes was performed. Methods. RDN and LDN outcomes were compared, focusing on operative time and perioperative risk factors affecting surgery duration. Learning curves for both techniques were compared through spline regression and cumulative sum models. Results. The study analyzed 512 procedures (154 RDN and 358 LDN procedures) performed between 2010 and 2021 in 2 different high-volume transplant centers. The RDN group presented a higher prevalence of arterial variations (36.2 versus 22.4%; P = 0.001) compared with the LDN cohort. No open conversions occurred; operative time (210 versus 195 min; P = 0.011) and warm ischemia time (WIT; 230 versus 180 s; P < 0.001) were longer in RDN. Postoperative complication rate was similar (8.4% versus 11.5%; P = 0.49); the RDN group showed shorter hospital stay (4 versus 5 d; P < 0.001). Spline regression models depicted a faster learning curve in the RDN group (P = 0.0002). Accordingly, cumulative sum analysis highlighted a turning point after about 50 procedures among the RDN cohort and after about 100 procedures among the LDN group. Higher body mass index resulted as an independent risk factor for longer operative time for both techniques; multiple arteries significantly prolonged operative time in LDN, whereas RDN was longer in right kidney procurements; both procedures were equally shortened by growing surgical experience. Conclusions. RDN grants a faster learning curve and improves multiple vessel handling. Incidence of postoperative complications was low for both techniques.