Spanish hospitals advance kidney transplant techniques

Medical institutions in Spain are implementing advanced techniques for kidney transplants. The Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge in Barcelona has performed Europe’s first single-incision robotic kidney transplant using the Da Vinci SP surgical robot. This method requires only one seven-centimeter incision, whereas conventional robotic surgery typically requires multiple additional incisions. Medical professionals note that this technique can reduce postoperative pain, lower complication risks, and accelerate patient recovery.

In Castellón, the Hospital General Universitario is undergoing the administrative process to authorize living donor kidney transplants. Having already performed 147 kidney transplants from deceased donors since 2023, the facility is seeking to expand its services. The new procedure will require coordinated efforts across six hospital departments, including Nephrology, Urology, Vascular Surgery, Intensive Care, Anesthesiology, and the organ donation coordination team.