This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Yonsei University College of Medicine (IRB no. 2022-0331-001). All the study protocols were performed in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed patient consent was waived owing to the retrospective nature of study. The patients were placed in a semi-lateral position similar to the position used for robotic nephrectomy. Pneumoperitoneum was established using the Veress needle technique. The port configuration is shown in Fig. 1 . All ports were inserted under direct vision using a laparoscopic camera. The Da Vinci Xi system was docked after port insertion. The 12-mm trocar for the surgical assistant in the lower abdomen was used as a port for robotic instruments (using the piggy-back method) when an additional robotic arm was required [13 (link)]. In this situation, the 5-mm trocar in the subxyphoid area for liver traction was used as a port for the surgical assistant.
After docking the robot, the transplant ureter was dissected, and the stricture site was identified. Nephrectomy of the right native kidney was performed, and the native ureter was harvested. After trimming the native ureter to the appropriate length, the native ureter was attached to the transplant ureter by end-to-side anastomosis. Interrupted suture with 4-0 Vicryl was used for the anastomosis, and a double J ureteral stent was inserted.
After docking the robot, the transplant ureter was dissected, and the stricture site was identified. Nephrectomy of the right native kidney was performed, and the native ureter was harvested. After trimming the native ureter to the appropriate length, the native ureter was attached to the transplant ureter by end-to-side anastomosis. Interrupted suture with 4-0 Vicryl was used for the anastomosis, and a double J ureteral stent was inserted.
