VCU Health Adopts Single-Port Robotic Surgery for Kidney Transplants

Transplant surgeon Seung Lee, M.D., Ph.D., began implementing the single-port platform for transplant recipients in March 2026. He has since expanded the technique to include living donor nephrectomies, effectively applying the fully robotic approach to both sides of the transplant process. This dual application is currently available at only a limited number of medical centers across the United States.

David Bruno, M.D., FACS, director of Hume-Lee, notes that minimizing surgical invasiveness is a strategic move to remove barriers to living donation. For recipients, who often navigate chronic illness, the reduction in surgical stress and pain is a critical factor in post-operative health. By prioritizing a less invasive experience for donors, the center intends to encourage more individuals to participate in living donation, addressing the widening gap between the supply of organs and the growing patient waitlist.