COLUMBUS: A 70-year-old woman has become the first person in the United States to undergo a robot-assisted dual kidney transplant. Joanne Kukula, a resident of Ohio, received the innovative procedure at the Cleveland Clinic in March 2024, marking a significant advancement in transplant surgery.
Joanne’s dual kidney transplant utilized a minimally invasive robotic surgical system, and the procedure was noted for its success and quick recovery. “Everything went well, and I really didn’t have much pain from the incisions,” Joanne commented.
The Cleveland Clinic highlighted that this transplant was particularly notable because it involved the use of a robotic surgical technique to implant two kidneys from a single deceased donor. This approach is considered revolutionary as it extends the use of marginally effective kidneys from expanded criteria donors, who might otherwise be deemed unsuitable for transplantation.
Dr. Mohamed Eltemamy, who performed the surgery, utilized an advanced multiport robotic system. According to Dr. Eltemamy, the robotic technique offers several advantages over traditional surgery.
“The robot allows us to use magnified 3DHD vision, provides articulation at the tips of the instruments that exceeds the range of a human wrist, and enables us to work in smaller spaces with better ergonomics,” he explained. “Instead of using two incisions or a large midline incision, we can place the kidneys on both sides of the torso through one small incision.”
Dr. Alvin Wee, the program director of the Kidney Transplant Program at the Cleveland Clinic, elaborated on the benefits of this approach. “Sometimes, when we receive a donor kidney, we find that one kidney may be small or have insufficient functionality. In such cases, we request both kidneys from the donor. Combined, they can provide more than 100% functionality. With the robotic system, we were able to transplant both kidneys into Joanne through the same small incision.”
The Cleveland Clinic’s Kidney Transplant Program performs over 300 transplants annually, with approximately 10% of these procedures now carried out robotically. The use of robotic technology in surgery is growing, driven by its minimally invasive nature, which generally results in less pain and a faster recovery compared to traditional surgical methods.
Joanne Kukula expressed her gratitude and awe at the capabilities of modern medicine. “The hardest part is waiting, but you have to believe that eventually something will come around,” she said. “I’m grateful to my donor, my family, and my care team, and amazed at what doctors can do to treat people today.”
