Incision length for kidney transplantation does not influence short- or long-term outcome: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Clinical Transplantation 2013; 27(5): E538-45.

Aims
To evaluate short and long term outcomes for kidney transplant recipients receiving short transverse or classical hockey stick incisions.

Interventions
Patients were randomized to receive either short transverse or classical hockey stick incisions during kidney transplantation.

Participants
66 patients requiring kidney transplantation.

Outcomes
The primary outcome included the quality of recovery scores. The secondary outcomes included subjective pain as measured by the visual analogue scale on postoperative days 1-7 and at the 30 month follow up, use of opioids on postoperative days 1-7, operation length, warm ischemia time, surgical complications and the presence of incisional hernia at 30 months.

Follow-up
30 months.

CET Conclusions
A shorter (<9cm) transverse incision was compared to a longer (>14cm) hockey stick incision for deceased or living donor renal transplantation. There was no difference in pain scores, analgesia use or surgical complications. Warm ischaemic times were also equivalent. Patients were equally satisfied with both longer and shorter incisions. Two patients randomised to the shorter incision required extension to permit the transplant to go ahead.

Jadad score
3

Data analysis
Available case analysis

Allocation concealment
Yes

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov - NCT00592020

Funding source
Not reported