Medical first in Moldova: living donor liver transplant performed using laparoscopic technique

Physicians at the Timofei Mosneaga Republican Clinical Hospital have achieved a medical first in Moldova – the first laparoscopic retrieval of a liver lobe from a living donor, later used in a liver transplant.

The intervention took place on February 12, 2026 and lasted more than 10 hours. The surgery was performed by a team of surgeons led by Adrian Hotineanu, head of the Department of Surgery No. 2, together with specialists from the medical institution.

The patient, a 40-year-old woman from Soldanesti district, was in the terminal stage of liver disease, and the transplant represented her only chance of survival. The donor was her 37-year-old brother from Floresti district, who donated approximately 70 per cent of his liver.

According to the physicians, harvesting the liver lobe using a laparoscopic technique is a minimally invasive way used in leading medical centers worldwide, which offers multiple advantages for the donor: reduced postoperative pain, lower risk of complications, shorter stay in hospital and faster recovery.

Specialists say the intervention was made possible after years of training and preparation of the medical team in centers of excellence in Germany and Italy, where Moldovan surgeons gained experience in advanced laparoscopic techniques.

“This achievement confirms the capacity of Moldova’s medicine to implement high-performance surgical procedures, offering patients modern treatments and real chances at life,” said Professor Adrian Hotineanu.

Physicians say that both patients had a favorable postoperative course. The donor was discharged earlier and the patient was discharged in satisfactory condition on March 10.