A study has indicated it is possible to have two large polycystic kidneys laparoscopically safely removed during transplant surgery, providing relief to suffering patients.
The Mayo Clinic study was published in the American Journal of Transportation. If found, there is a 2% risk of complications which is the same as removing one polycystic kidney during a transplant surgery. Transplanting both also results in a four-day hospital stay compared to three days with one kidney, the Mayo Clinic reported in a press release.
Polycystic kidney disease is a cluster of cysts that typically develop inside of kidneys. The cysts grow with fluid and damage the kidneys to the point it can cause kidney failure. The kidneys also grow to a very large size. It is estimated that 600,000 people suffer from the disease, the press release reported. The study took the results of 51 dual-transplant patients and compared it to 97 patients who had a living donor kidney transplant and the results proved to the same. The study occurred from 2014 to 2019.
"Some patients with polycystic kidney disease have two big problems. The first one is that their kidneys do not work, and they need a kidney transplant. The other one is that they have very large kidneys that can cause pain and other problems," Dr. Mikel Prieto, transplant surgeon and lead author of the study said in the press release. "If you fix one problem with the transplant, you still have the other problem to fix. It's very unsatisfying for patients who can be miserable with these kidneys to be told they will need to wait six months after the transplant to have them removed."
The press release reported those receiving a dual-transplant needed additional care but the long-term results were the same, helping lead to a better life for patients.
"This study shows that the removal of both kidneys laparoscopically and a living donor transplant at the same time can be done successfully and safely without a significant effect on kidney function," Prieto said, the press release reported.
