{"id":18308,"date":"2025-04-28T08:51:39","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T12:51:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/surgery\/?p=18308"},"modified":"2025-04-28T09:27:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T13:27:13","slug":"unc-surgeons-launched-a-robotic-kidney-transplant-program-expanding-access-for-high-risk-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/surgery\/unc-surgeons-launched-a-robotic-kidney-transplant-program-expanding-access-for-high-risk-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"UNC Surgeons Launched a Robotic Kidney Transplant Program Expanding Access for High-Risk Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Robotic
Dr. Calderon performing robotic surgery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Inside UNC Health\u2019s Transplant Division, Dr. Esteban Calderon is leading the charge in robotic kidney transplantation, offering patients a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery. This cutting-edge approach enhances surgical precision, recovery and outcomes\u2014and most importantly, it expands access to transplantation for patients who were previously considered ineligible.<\/p>\n

Robotic kidney transplants utilize 3D visualization and ultra-precise instruments to navigate complex anatomy through small incisions. The result? Less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays, reduced complications, and improved surgical accuracy. One of the most transformative aspects of the program is its focus on patients with high body mass indexes (BMI) over 40 \u2014individuals who were often excluded from traditional transplant procedures due to elevated surgical risk and worse overall outcomes. Robotic technology helps overcome those barriers, opening the door to life-saving care.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Esteban Calderon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since its launch, the Robotic Kidney Transplant Program has already reached significant milestones, with two successful living donor transplants completed and more on the schedule. Both patients were discharged without surgical complications and demonstrated excellent kidney function\u2014early signs that robotic transplantation can deliver safer, more effective results. Smaller incisions mean faster recovery, lower reliance on narcotic pain medications, and improved overall patient experience. Despite being a relatively new technique, robotic surgery does not compromise organ quality or patient safety.<\/p>\n

Performing robotic transplants necessitates highly specialized training. Surgeons progress from foundational open to advanced robotic techniques through a rigorous training pipeline involving simulation, supervised surgeries, and mentoring. Dr. Calderon\u2019s work has been guided by his mentor Dr. Eltemamy from his alma mater and supported by the leadership of Dr. Chirag Desai, Chief of the Division of Transplant Surgery, and Dr. Alex Toledo, Director of Kidney Transplant Surgery.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are at the forefront of a new era in transplantation,\u201d says Dr. Desai. \u201cVery few centers worldwide perform robotic kidney transplants, and even fewer offer this option for overweight and obese patients. As early adopters, we\u2019re proud to lead this evolution in care.\u201d<\/p>\n

With continued growth and innovation in the UNC Health Transplant Division, Robotic Kidney Transplantation has the potential to redefine the field\u2014making life-saving procedures safer, more accessible, and less invasive for all patients in need.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inside UNC Health\u2019s Transplant Division, Dr. Esteban Calderon is leading the charge in robotic kidney transplantation, offering patients a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery. This cutting-edge approach enhances surgical precision, recovery and outcomes\u2014and most importantly, it expands access to transplantation for patients who were previously considered ineligible. Robotic kidney transplants utilize 3D visualization and … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119782,"featured_media":18309,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"featured-item":[],"class_list":["post-18308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","odd"],"pp_force_visibility":null,"pp_subpost_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_force_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_subpost_visibility":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUNC Surgeons Launched a Robotic Kidney Transplant Program Expanding Access for High-Risk Patients | Department of Surgery<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/surgery\/unc-surgeons-launched-a-robotic-kidney-transplant-program-expanding-access-for-high-risk-patients\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UNC Surgeons Launched a Robotic Kidney Transplant Program Expanding Access for High-Risk Patients | Department of Surgery\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Inside UNC Health\u2019s Transplant Division, Dr. Esteban Calderon is leading the charge in robotic kidney transplantation, offering patients a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery. 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