A 24-year-old man underwent a robotic kidney transplant at a city hospital recently. He was on dialysis for three years for reflux disease, a congenital condition. He also had a dilated ureter which made his recovery post-surgery challenging, said doctors who treated him at Kauvery hospital.
The hospital he had previously consulted recommended removing both his kidneys as he weighed around 90kg and had other health complications.
At Kauvery hospital, doctors evaluated his medical history and planned a transplant without disturbing his kidneys. The youth’s father was identified to be a suitable donor and it was decided to use advanced robotic technology to minimise procedures.
Swaminathan Sambandam, lead, multi-organ transplant, Kauvery group of hospitals, said traditional kidney transplants involve open surgery, necessitating a large incision in the lower abdomen to implant the donor’s kidney.
“The method required connecting delicate renal arteries and veins to the body’s blood vessels and linking the ureter to the bladder,” he said. In patients with a body mass index exceeding 30, recovery would be slow, painful and also leave noticeable scars. In contrast, in a robotic transplant, the surgeon made a small incision of around 5 cm, implanted the donor kidney in the abdomen and connected the blood vessels and ureter to the recipient’s body.
“This innovation provides higher accuracy and precision, faster recovery, less pain, minimal scars, shorter hospital stay, and one can resume daily activities soon,” Dr. Swaminathan said.
The hospital’s co-founder and executive director Aravindan Selvaraj lauded Dr. Swaminathan’s efforts and said the hospital was dedicated to transforming the field of kidney transplantation. Robotic kidney transplant was a cutting-edge solution for patients with chronic kidney diseases, he said.
EOM
