First deceased donor robotic kidney transplantation in Korea: a case report

Robotic-assisted kidney transplantation (RAKT) has emerged as a feasible alternative to conventional open and laparoscopic kidney transplantation. RAKT was first introduced in 2002; however, the first pure robotic procedure was not performed until 2010, and its application has since expanded globally. Despite South Korea's advanced medical infrastructure, no deceased donor RAKT had been reported prior to this case. Here, we report the first case of deceased donor RAKT in Korea. The donor was a 36-year-old woman with no renal impairment, and the recipient was a 58-year-old woman with chronic glomerulonephritis. The procedure was performed on July 16, 2023, at Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital using the da Vinci Xi robotic system (Intuitive). A transperitoneal approach with regional hypothermia was used. Although the procedure presented challenges, including prolonged rewarming time and high procedural costs, the patient achieved favorable postoperative outcomes and maintained stable renal function 24 months after transplantation. This case demonstrates the feasibility of deceased donor RAKT in South Korea and underscores the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and institutional support to enable wider adoption.