Transition to Full Robotic Living Donor Liver Graft for Pediatric Recipients
The Hepatology Institute of Lyon (IHU) is proud to share the recent publication of an article demonstrating the benefits of robotic surgery for living donor liver graft procurement, as shown by digestive surgeons at Croix-Rousse Hospital.
Several IHU members contributed to the study of the 23 procurements that led to this article.
Xavier Muller, a liver transplant surgeon at the Nord Hospital Group of Lyon (HCL) and an IHU member, is the co-first author of the study.
The article, titled “Transition From Open to Full Robotic Living Donor Left Liver Graft Procurement for Pediatric Recipients,” reports the results of 23 procurements and highlights the advantages of robotic-assisted surgery for living donor graft procurement.
While robotic surgery increases operative time (356 minutes vs. 243 minutes), it significantly reduces intraoperative blood loss (50 mL vs. 125 mL) and eliminates the need for conversion to open surgery. The authors emphasize the benefits—such as reduced complications—and confirm the safety of the robotic approach.
You can find the article references in Transplant International, published on December 15, 2025 (doi: 10.3389/ti.2025.15571).
