Mangaluru: Justice K.S. Hegde Hospital performs first laparoscopic donor kidney surgeries

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 5, 2026: In a significant milestone in organ transplant services in coastal Karnataka, the Department of Urology and Department of Nephrology at Justice K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital have successfully performed their first two consecutive laparoscopic donor nephrectomies for kidney transplantation.

The surgeries, conducted in the second week of February 2026, involved retrieving kidneys from voluntary live donors using an advanced minimally invasive laparoscopic technique. This marks a major step forward in the history of organ donation and transplant procedures at K.S. Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA) and the coastal Karnataka region.

Unlike conventional open surgery, which requires a large incision and sometimes rib bone cutting, the laparoscopic technique uses tiny “keyhole” punctures to remove the donor kidney. The minimally invasive approach significantly reduces post-operative pain, minimizes tissue trauma and allows faster recovery for donors. It also offers improved cosmetic results as it avoids large scars in the flank region of the abdomen.

Hospital authorities said both donors and recipients were discharged within a week of surgery. The transplanted kidneys are functioning well, with recipients showing good urine output and stable recovery.

The procedures benefited two patients — one involving a brother-to-brother kidney donation from Sullia and another involving a spousal donor from outside the district.

Speaking on the achievement, Professor and Head of the Department of Urology, Dr. Rajeev T.P., expressed gratitude to the Dean and the administrative management of KSHEMA and NITTE (Deemed to be University) for their continuous support in adopting advanced surgical techniques. He also noted that the transplant procedures were carried out under the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka Scheme, enabling affordable treatment access for the common public.

Dean Dr. B. Sandeep Rai and Medical Superintendent Dr. Sumalatha R. Shetty congratulated the medical team for the achievement.

The surgical team included Dr. Rajeev T.P., Dr. Suraj Hegde P., Dr. Narendra Pai and Dr. Shreyas Rai from the Department of Urology, along with Dr. Janardhan Kamath, Dr. Pradeep Shenoy and Dr. Prajwal Kishore from the Department of Nephrology.

The anesthesiology team comprised Professor and Head Dr. Avanish Bhandary, Professor Dr. Sripada Mehendale, Dr. Siri Shetty, Dr. Murali Shankar Bhat, Dr. Sharada Adiga and Dr. Nisha Shetty.

The successful procedures reinforce KSHEMA’s growing reputation in specialised healthcare and offer new hope for patients awaiting kidney transplants by making the donor surgery safer, less painful and more accessible.