Scrotal Surgery Risk After Kidney Donation
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by Kerri Miller
November 11, 2025
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4 min
Research led by Dr. Amit X. Garg from ICES reveals that male living kidney donors face a significantly heightened long-term risk for scrotal surgery post-laparoscopic nephrectomy, with a 14% incidence over 20 years compared to 0.7% in matched nondonors. The study tracking 898 male donors in Ontario highlights a median follow-up of 9.1 years, finding that nearly 8% required hospitalization for subsequent scrotal procedures. The findings emphasize the need to inform donors about potential risks and consider preoperative scrotal ultrasounds to document baseline conditions.
1. 14% of kidney donors needed scrotal surgery after 20 years.2. Laparoscopic nephrectomy associates with 8.3 surgeries per 1,000 patient-years. 3. Hydrocelectomy is the main type of scrotal surgery performed.4. Study involved 898 male donors tracked over 9.1 years.5. Disruption of lymphatic drainage could lead to hydroceles.6. Need for scrotal ultrasounds was emphasized pre-donation.7. Study achieved the highest Newcastle-Ottawa Scale rating.
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