Robot-assisted kidney transplantation: update from the European Robotic Urology Section (ERUS) series

July 25, 2024

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Publicated to: Bju International. 127 (2): 222-228 - 2021-02-01 127(2), DOI: 10.1111/bju.15199

Authors:

Musquera, M; Peri, L; Ajami, T; Campi, R; Tugcu, V; Decaestecker, K; Stockle, M; Fornara, P; Doumerc, N; Vigues, F; Barod, R; Desender, L; Territo, A; Serni, S; Vignolini, G; Sahin, S; Zeuschner, P; Banga, N; Breda, A; Alcaraz, A

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Affiliations

Autonoma Univ Barcelona, Dept Urol, Fundacio Puigvert - Author

Bakirkoy Dr Sadi Konuk Training & Res Hosp, Dept Urol - Author

Ghent Univ Hosp, Dept Thorac & Vasc Surg, Vasc Surg - Author

Ghent Univ Hosp, Dept Urol - Author

Hosp Clin Barcelona, Dept Urol, Inst Clin Nefrol & Urol - Author

Hosp Univ Bellvitge, Dept Urol - Author

Royal Free London NHS Fdn Trust, Dept Urol - Author

Univ Florence, Careggi Hosp, Dept Urol - Author

Univ Hosp Halle, Dept Urol - Author

Univ Hosp Rangueil, Dept Urol & Renal Transplantat - Author

Univ Saarland, Dept Urol - Author

Abstract

Objective To report the results of the robot-assisted kidney transplantation (RAKT) experience performed in 10 European centres by members of the European Robotic Urology Section (ERUS)-RAKT group. Patients and Methods This is a multicentre prospective observational study of RAKT. Descriptive analysis of recipients and donor characteristics, surgical data, intraoperative outcomes, complications rate and functional results were collected and analysed. Results Between July 2015 and September 2019, 291 living-donor RAKTs were performed. Recipients were mostly male (189 [65%]), the mean Standard deviation (sd)age was 45.2 (13.35) years, the mean (sd)body mass index was 27.13 (19.28) kg/m(2), and RAKT was pre-emptive in 155 (53.8%) cases. Right and multiple arteries kidneys were used in 15.4%. The mean (sd)total surgical and re-warming time was 244 (70.5) min and 53.16 (15.27) min, respectively. In all, 17 patients presented with postoperative bleeding (5.7%). Five kidneys had delayed graft function; five (2%) were lost due to thrombosis and one due to acute rejection. Two patients had arterial stenosis, three had incisional hernias, six had ureteric stenosis, and nine had lymphoceles. Neither surgical nor re-warming times were correlated with postoperative serum creatinine levels (P > 0.05). Comparison of surgical data between the first 120 cases and the following 171 cases showed a significantly shorter total surgical time in the second group (265 vs 230 min,P = 0.005). Conclusions This is the largest European multicentre study of RAKT with good surgical and functional results competitive with open kidney transplant series, with a relatively short learning curve when performed in centres with a wide experience in open kidney transplantation and robotic surgery.

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Keywords

#kidneytransplantKidney transplantationLive-donor nephrectomyLiving donorMinimal invasive surgeryOutcomesRegional hypothermiaRenal-transplantationRobot-assisted kidney transplantationRobotics

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal BJU INTERNATIONAL due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2021, it was in position 15/90, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Urology & Nephrology.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 3.42. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 13, 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2026-04-13, the following number of citations:

WoS: 35
Scopus: 9
Europe PMC: 10

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Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Belgium; France; Germany; Italy; Turkey; United Kingdom.

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Musquera Felip, Mireia) and Last Author (Alcaraz Asensio, Antonio).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Musquera Felip, Mireia.

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