Robotic surgery technology has been used to remove a donor kidney at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, marking an advancement in organ donation.

According to the University of Stellenbosch, the surgery – called nephrectomy – makes donating organs less invasive for living donors. It is the first time it has been done in South Africa.

The surgery was performed by urologist Dr Danelo du Plessis, who is employed by both the hospital and the university.

He used the da Vinci Xi Robotic platform that allows surgeons to operate with exceptional precision through four robotic arms, controlled remotely via an immersive 3D console.

“The surgery exceeded our expectations, completed in under 90 minutes,” Du Plessis said in a statement.

The procedure involved a 45-year-old mother donating a kidney to her 24-year-old daughter.

The university said the robotic platform’s enhanced precision and dexterity allowed the surgical team to take a “retroperitoneal” approach. Because this is less invasive technique, post-operative pain is reduced and recovery is faster recovery.

The donor was discharged the following day, and the transplanted kidney immediately began producing urine, indicating that the transplanted organ was functional.

What’s involved

It said that while nephrectomies to remove diseased or damaged kidneys have been performed robotically in the country, donor nephrectomy presents significantly greater complexity. The procedure requires the complete removal of a healthy kidney while preserving the full length of the kidney’s blood vessels, ureter and organ integrity for successful transplantation.