2020 Online Salon
Robotic Donor Nephrectomy – Steps 8 and 9

Project Details
- Entrant Name: Jenny Wang
- Membership Type: Student Submission
- Address: Baltimore, Maryland USA
- Client: Gary Lees, MS, CMI, FAMI
- Copyright: 2019 Jenny Wang
- Medium/software used: Procreate, Adobe Photoshop CC
- Final presentation format: Slide presentation
- Primary Audience: Medical students and surgical residents
Project Description
Currently, a large proportion of kidney transplants are performed from living donors. The living-donor kidney transplant has many benefits compared to a cadaveric kidney transplant, and the increase in robotic approaches has made this procedure a less invasive option. The robotic donor nephrectomy, pictured here, precedes the recipient renal transplant.
This illustration focuses on the final steps of the procedure prior to removal of the donor kidney. The surgeon clips and divides the ureter at the level of the common iliac artery, which allows for enough length for the recipient surgery. Finally, the renal artery and vein are stapled in that order with an endovascular TA stapler. Didactic coloring helps viewers identify the structures involved in this crucial step of the procedure.