Obesity and Bariatric Kidney Transplantation with Robotic Technique

UI Health’s kidney transplant program is widely recognized for its expertise with transplanting bariatric patients. This is particularly important because these patients are likely turned down at other transplant centers due to their high BMI status, many times making UI Health their only option for transplantation in the greater Chicagoland area. Given this, our program transplants the highest number of bariatric patients nationally and with above average outcomes. We also have a program that allows bariatric patients living outside of Illinois that have a living donor to be worked up for transplant and transplanted in 6 weeks or less.

UI Health’s experienced surgeons use a robotic technique that minimizes incisions and therefore minimizes the risk of infection and decreases other problems with wounds. UI Health is the model in successfully using a robotic technique for kidney transplantation. In fact, in September 2020, UI Health opened a Surgical Innovation and Training Laboratory making UI Health one of the most advanced robotic surgery programs in the world.

For some bariatric patients, a gastric sleeve at the time of transplant is a technique that is used to help lose weight quickly. In addition, this approach is appealing because you can have the surgeries simultaneously, avoiding the need for two separate surgeries. The smaller the abdominal area, the less risk of infection and soft tissue complications. In many cases, delayed graft function is a great concern, and a gastric sleeve can help.

There are some bariatric patients, for vascular reasons, that are not candidates for robotic surgeries or gastric sleeves. Given the benefits of reducing abdominal girth, UI Health offers these patients a panniculectomy at the time of transplant. A panniculectomy is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and tissue from the lower abdomen. This, in turn, has been proven to improve graft function and decrease infection. During your transplant evaluation, a transplant surgeon will provide you with options that are appropriate for you.

 Panniculectomy