Earlier this month, surgeons at Mayo Clinic's Rochester location performed the first-ever robotic-assisted kidney transplant in the state of Minnesota. The procedure was completed by Timucin Taner, M.D., Ph.D., division chair of Transplant Surgery and Patrick Dean, M.D., according to a press release from Mayo Clinic.

"Mayo Clinic has been a leader in the field of kidney transplants for six decades," Dr. Taner said, according to the press release. "We are proud to continue that tradition by completing the first robotic-assisted kidney transplant in Minnesota."

According to the press release, the new procedure was performed on a woman in her 60s who had received a kidney donation from her daughter. Robotically assisted surgery is less invasive, which can be beneficial for patients with a higher body mass index (BMI) and reduces risks associated with surgical incisions, such as hernias or infections.

While a kidney transplant remains the best option for patients facing kidney failure, a fully open kidney surgery involves an incision four- to eight-inches long on one side of the lower abdomen for the donated kidney. By comparison, the robotic-assisted approach involves a much smaller incision, around two inches long around the belly button, which minimizes discomfort and accelerates recovery.

Mayo Clinic emphasizes that the benefits of robotically-assisted surgery do not mean that open transplants will be done away with completely, but they do provide another treatment option for patients who have higher risks and could benefit from a less invasive procedure.

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing clinical practice, education, and research while delivering compassionate care and solutions to all those seeking healing. The organization is the largest integrated transplant center in the U.S. and performed a record 311 kidney transplants in 2022.