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Robotic Kidney Removal Surgery Expands Donor Eligibility in Iowa
University of Iowa Health Care surgeon performs state's first robotic kidney removal, potentially allowing more Iowans to become donors.
Mar. 23, 2026 at 10:04am
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As hundreds of Iowans await kidney transplants, a new robotic kidney removal surgery performed at the University of Iowa could help expand the pool of eligible donors. Dr. Ramy El-Diwany recently completed the state's first robotic nephrectomy, a procedure that offers lower complication rates and allows surgeons to work with patients who previously may not have been viable donors due to unique anatomies or higher body weights.
Why it matters
With nearly 90% of Iowans on the organ transplant waitlist needing a new kidney, this robotic surgery technique could be a game-changer in increasing the number of available donors and reducing wait times for those in need of a transplant.
The details
Robotic nephrectomy, or kidney removal, involves using a camera and robotic arms to perform the surgery, rather than the surgeon's own hands. This allows for greater precision, the ability to work with more complex anatomies, and an easier recovery process for both the donor and recipient. Dr. El-Diwany says the robotic approach has a lower complication rate than traditional laparoscopic kidney removal.
- Dr. El-Diwany performed the first robotic kidney removal in Iowa in December 2025.
- As of March 1, 2026, the Iowa Donor Network reported 592 Iowans on the waiting list for a new organ, with 529 of those needing a kidney.
The players
Dr. Ramy El-Diwany
A surgeon at University of Iowa Health Care who performed the state's first robotic kidney removal surgery.
Iowa Donor Network
The organization that reported 592 Iowans on the organ transplant waitlist as of March 1, 2026, with 529 of those needing a kidney.
What they’re saying
“This operation, the robotic donor nephrectomy, is one of the safest operations that's done in general surgery. It has a lower complication rate than taking out someone's appendix or gallbladder.”
— Dr. Ramy El-Diwany, Surgeon, University of Iowa Health Care
“What this means is there are some people that are like maybe so-so, and anatomy wise, like 'maybe we could make this work with the laparoscope, but probably not. So let's just avoid doing it.' Now, it's like, 'Oh yeah, we could totally do this and make it work with the robot,'”
— Dr. Ramy El-Diwany, Surgeon, University of Iowa Health Care
What’s next
Dr. El-Diwany says his next focus is performing kidney transplants using the robotic technology, after mastering the robotic nephrectomy procedure.
The takeaway
This new robotic kidney removal surgery could be a significant breakthrough in expanding the pool of eligible organ donors in Iowa, helping to reduce the backlog of hundreds of residents awaiting life-saving kidney transplants.
