Curry Cabral Hospital, in Lisbon, performed the first kidney transplant carried out entirely by robotic surgery in Portugal, with the father donating the kidney to his daughter, with both recovering well, announced this Monday, December 15th, ULS São José.
For this intervention, carried out on November 13th at the Hepato-Bilio-Pancreatic and Transplantation Center of ULS São José, the father, aged 63, donated his left kidney to his daughter, aged 38, diagnosed with nephropathy in 2024 and undergoing peritoneal dialysis treatment since then.
“The organ was implanted in the right iliac fossa”, says ULS São José in a statement, adding that donor nephrectomy (organ removal) through robotic surgery had already been practiced for over a year at the institution, “but this was the first time that kidney implantation was also performed robotically”.
According to the institution, this approach allows for faster patient recovery, shorter hospital stays and a lower incidence of complications.
“The expansion and dexterity of movements of the Da Vinci robotic platform allows all anastomoses (vessel and ureter sutures) to be carried out quickly and with a quality that is almost impossible to match in conventional procedures. This results in greater safety for the patient and kidneys with better function and longevity”, explains João Santos Coelho, the surgeon who operated the robot, cited in the statement.
The director of the Hepato-Bilio-Pancreatic and Transplantation Center, Hugo Pinto Marques, adds that “robotic living donor transplantation using a completely robotic approach It is yet another example of the advantages that robotic surgery offers, with greater surgical precision, less damage to the body and faster recovery.”
“This intervention positions, once again, our service and our institution at the forefront of robotic surgery in our country”, highlights Hugo Pinto Marques.
ULS highlights that the advantages for the donor of robotic nephrectomy include faster recovery, less pain, almost imperceptible scarring and maximum safety.
The president of ULS São José, Rosa Valente de Matos, also mentioned in the statement, states that, “with this pioneering transplant at national level”, the institution “is, once again, innovating in care”.
“This is our brand and we believe it is the best way to increase the quality of care we provide and to attract and preserve talent in our institution”, argues Rosa Valente de Matos.
Participating in both surgeries were João Santos Coelho, the surgeon who commanded the robot, Sofia Carrelha, Sofia Corado and Ana Pena (surgeons), José Guerreiro and Paula Rocha (anesthetists), Cristina Rivera, Teresa Fonseca and Helena Figueiredo (nurses).
Philippe Abreu, from the University of Colorado, was also present as supervisor.