Return to normal activities and work after living donor laparoscopic nephrectomy

Adrenal fast-track and enhanced recovery in retroperitoneoscopic surgery for primary aldosteronism improving patient outcome and efficiency

PURPOSE

No data exist on perioperative strategies for enhancing recovery after posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (PRA). Our objective was to determine whether a multimodality adrenal fast-track and enhanced recovery (AFTER) protocol for PRA can reduce recovery time, improve patient satisfaction and maintain safety.

METHODS

Thirty primary aldosteronism patients were included. Fifteen patients were treated with 'standard-of-care' PRA and compared with 15 in the AFTER protocol. The AFTER protocol contains: a preoperative information video, postoperative oral analgesics, early postoperative mobilisation and enteral feeding, and blood pressure monitoring at home. The primary outcome was recovery time. Secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay, postoperative pain and analgesics requirements, patient satisfaction, perioperative complications and quality of life (QoL).

RESULTS

Recovery time was much shorter in both groups than anticipated and was not significantly different (median 28 days). Postoperative length of hospital stay was significantly reduced in AFTER patients (mean 32 vs 42 h, CI 95%, p = 0.004). No significant differences were seen in pain, but less analgesics were used in the AFTER group. Satisfaction improved amongst AFTER patients for time of admission and postoperative visit to the outpatient clinic. There were no significant differences in complication rates or QoL.

CONCLUSION

Despite no difference in recovery time between the two groups, probably due to small sample size, the AFTER protocol led to shorter hospital stays and less analgesic use after surgery, whilst maintaining and even enhancing patient satisfaction for several aspects of perioperative care. Complication rates and QoL are comparable to standard-of-care.

Short-term Outcome of Danish Kidney Donors: Postoperative Complications and Labor Affiliation

BACKGROUND

Living kidney donation is safe and effective, but disincentives to donation include risk of short- and long-term complications, which need to be addressed in order to ensure care of live kidney donors.

METHODS

From January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019, 123 living kidney donors (LKDs) underwent LKD nephrectomy at Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. Data from The Scandiatransplant registry and patient records were reviewed in order to identify short-term postoperative complications within 90 days after donation, as well as affiliation to the labor market and health data at follow-up. The Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications with modifications by Kocak et al was used to categorize minor and major complications.

RESULTS

There were available data for 119 of 123 LKDs. Of these, 25 (21%) developed minor complications and 4 (3%) developed major complications. Ninety LKDs (76%) had an uneventful course without any complications. The most common complications were pain and nausea that required additional medical treatment. Seventy-two of the 82 LKDs working before donation had returned to work within 3 months after donor nephrectomy. No one retired or became disabled as a result of being a live kidney donor.

CONCLUSIONS

Short-term follow up of the LKDs showed that most donors experienced an uneventful course and that the frequency of major complications was low. Donation did not seem to impact the ability to resume work. At the 90-day follow-up the majority of donors with both minor and major complications resumed work and reported full convalescence at the same level as donors without any complications. Nine of the LKDs (8%), all women, were out of work for >3 months with the main reason being fatigue.

The true risk of living kidney donation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The safety of living donor nephrectomy is essential to the continued success, growth, and sustainability of the clinical practice of living donor kidney transplantation. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the perioperative and long-term risks faced by living kidney donors.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although adverse perioperative complications are extremely rare, donors particularly men, Black, or obese, frequently experience minor complications that result in delayed return to normal duties at home and work. Similarly, although long-term complications such as end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are rare, recent studies suggest a relative increase in risk of ESRD that is attributable to donation. Several risk calculators have been developed to help donors and their care providers quantify the baseline and postdonation risk of ESRD based on demographic and health characteristics. Thresholds of risk may help define what is an acceptable level of risk to the donor and the transplant center.

SUMMARY

Individualized risk calculators now allow care providers and potential donors to objectively and transparently participate in shared decision-making about the safety of living kidney donation.

Financial burden associated with time to return to work after living kidney donation

Many living kidney donors undertake a significant financial burden in order to donate. We studied the association between time to return to work and reported financial burden. Kidney donors who donated from 2/2005 through 12/2015 (n = 1012) were surveyed 6 months after donation and asked about occupation, time to return to work, and financial burden (on a 10-point Likert scale). Of 856 donors working for pay, 629 (73%) responded. After adjusting for donor characteristics, increased length of time to return to work was a significant predictor of financial burden (P < .001). It is notable that those in manual/skilled trade occupations, compared with all other occupations, experienced greater financial burden for each week away from work (P = .003). Older age at donation and nondirected (vs directed) donation were associated with significantly decreased financial burden. These observations provide additional information to better inform donor candidates, and further emphasize the need to develop policies so that living kidney donation can be financially neutral.