Research & Publications — Dr. Rajesh K. Ahlawat

Four decades of research, anchored by pioneering robotic kidney transplantation under regional hypothermia.

Robotic kidney transplantation under regional hypothermia

Conceived 2012

Vattikuti Urology Institute (Detroit) and the Medanta team collaborate on a robotic approach that maintains the graft cold throughout the anastomosis.

World-first clinical case · 2013

First robotic kidney transplantation under regional hypothermia performed in January 2013, validated through the IDEAL framework (Phases 0–2b).

Disseminated globally

Over 1,000 robot-assisted kidney transplants have been documented in published studies worldwide as of July 2026, with the true global total likely higher in the absence of an international registry.

Principal areas of research

Four interlinked threads that have shaped four decades of clinical and academic work.

Renal Transplantation & Robotics

Robotic and minimally invasive recipient surgery, regional hypothermia, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, and outcomes of grafts with multiple renal vessels.

Prostate & Renal Cancer

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and partial nephrectomy, nephrometry and intraoperative risk prediction, and management strategies for localised disease.

Endourology & Stone Disease

Percutaneous and laparoscopic stone management, X-ray diffraction stone analysis, and techniques for complex and impacted upper-tract calculi.

Outcomes & Health Services Research

Long-term graft and patient outcomes, learning-curve analyses, IDEAL-framework studies, and prospective patient-safety monitoring during the introduction of new surgical techniques.

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Peer-reviewed publications

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Book & textbook chapters

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World-first RKT under regional hypothermia

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Robot-assisted kidney transplants

Landmark papers

Selected publications that established and refined robotic kidney transplantation under regional hypothermia, alongside foundational work in laparoscopic donor nephrectomy and minimally invasive uro-oncology.

Robotic kidney transplantation with regional hypothermia: evolution of a novel procedure utilizing the IDEAL guidelines (IDEAL phase 0 and 1)

Robotic Kidney Transplantation with Regional Hypothermia: A Step-by-step Description of the Vattikuti Urology Institute–Medanta Technique (IDEAL Phase 2a)

Robotic Kidney Transplantation with Regional Hypothermia versus Open Kidney Transplantation for Patients with End Stage Renal Disease: An Ideal Stage 2B Study

Management of Impacted Upper Ureteric Calculi: Results of Lithotripsy and Percutaneous Litholapaxy

PADUA and R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry scores correlate with perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: analysis of the Vattikuti Global Quality Initiative in Robotic Urologic Surgery (GQI-RUS) database

Full publication list

A complete, searchable archive of peer-reviewed articles, invited articles, book chapters, and clinical communications. Updated as new work is published.

PEER-REVIEWED · ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Landmark peer-reviewed papers

Publications establishing and refining robotic kidney transplantation under regional hypothermia — from IDEAL Phase 0 through Stage 2B.

Indian Journal of Medical Sciences

Management of blunt renal trauma

1987

British Journal of Urology

Prevesical ureteric calculi: treatment in modified prone position

1992

British Journal of Urology

Routine radio-imaging in filarial chyluria

1992

British Journal of Urology

Management of impacted upper ureteral calculi: results of lithotripsy and percutaneous litholapaxy

1992

The Journal of Urology

Treatment of ureteral calculi with ESWL using the Lithostar device

1991

British Journal of Urology

Intraoperative percutaneous caliceal irrigation: a new technique for management of pelvic and caliceal stones

1993

European Urology

Endopyelotomy and pyeloplasty: face to face

1994

The Journal of Urology

Should upper ureteric calculi be manipulated before extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy?

1994

British Journal of Urology

Objective evaluation of endopyelotomy using Whitaker's pressure perfusion test and diuretic renography

1995

European Urology

Simultaneous bilateral percutaneous nephrolithotomy under single anaesthesia

1995

Archivos Espanoles de Urologia

Percutaneous ureterolitholapaxy: the best bet to clear large bulk impacted upper ureteral calculi

1996

National Medical Journal of India

Upper urinary tract stone analysis using X-ray diffraction

1996

The Journal of Urology

Chronic renal failure and nephrolithiasis in a solitary kidney: role of intervention

1997

Urologia Internationalis

Management of staghorn calculus: analysis of combination therapy and open surgery

1999

Journal of Endourology

Laparoscopic pyeloplasty using the postanastomotic dismemberment method: technique and results

2009

Indian Journal of Urology

Suprapubic transvesical single-port technique for laparoscopic nephroureterectomy

2011

Indian Journal of Nephrology

Renal transplantation across ABO barrier

2013

Indian Journal of Nephrology

Early corticosteroid withdrawal regimen in a living donor kidney transplant programme

2014

Transfusion

Cascade plasmapheresis as preconditioning regimen for ABO-incompatible renal transplantation

2016

Indian Journal of Nephrology

Paired kidney exchange transplantation: Maximizing the donor pool

2015

International Journal of Surgery

Ontogeny of a surgical technique: Robotic kidney transplantation with regional hypothermia

2016

Transplantation

Minimally Invasive Kidney Transplantation: Perioperative Considerations and Key 6-Month Outcomes

2015

BJU International

Robotic kidney transplantation with intraoperative regional hypothermia

2014

Journal of Endourology

Robotic Kidney Transplantation with Regional Hypothermia: A Step-by-step Description of the Vattikuti Urology Institute–Medanta Technique (IDEAL Phase 2a)

2022

The Journal of Urology

Robotic Kidney Transplantation with Regional Hypothermia vs Open Kidney Transplantation: An IDEAL Stage 2B Study

2021

European Urology

Application of the Statistical Process Control Method for Prospective Patient Safety Monitoring During the Learning Phase (IDEAL 2a-b)

2014

European Urology

Robotic Kidney Transplantation with Regional Hypothermia: A Step-by-step Description of the VUI-Medanta Technique (IDEAL Phase 2a)

2014

European Urology

Robotic Kidney Transplantation with Regional Hypothermia: Evolution of a Novel Procedure Utilizing the IDEAL Guidelines (Phase 0 and 1)

2014