28 August 2025
In a first for South Africa, a surgeon with the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has successfully removed a donor kidney using robotic surgery technology at Tygerberg Hospital, marking an advancement in making organ donation less invasive for living donors.
The surgery, called a donor nephrectomy, was performed by urologist Dr Danelo du Plessis, a joint staff member with Tygerberg Hospital and Stellenbosch University (SU), using the da Vinci Xi Robotic platform. This sophisticated system enables surgeons to operate with exceptional precision through four robotic arms, controlled remotely via an immersive 3D console.
“The surgery exceeded our expectations, completed in under 90 minutes,” says Du Plessis, a senior lecturer and medical specialist in SU’s Division of Urology.
The procedure involved a 45-year-old mother donating a kidney to her 24-year-old daughter.
The robotic platform’s enhanced precision and dexterity enabled the surgical team to take a retroperitoneal approach – a less invasive technique that reduces post-operative pain and allows for faster recovery. The donor was discharged the following day, and the transplanted kidney began producing urine immediately, indicating its functionality.
While nephrectomies to remove diseased or damaged kidneys have been performed robotically in South Africa, donor nephrectomy presents significantly greater complexity. This procedure requires the complete removal of a healthy kidney while preserving the full length of the kidney’s blood vessels, ureter and organ integrity for successful transplantation.
Source:iol
