What are the different types of kidney surgery?
Variations include:
- Laparoscopic surgery. In this minimally invasive procedure, the surgeon makes a few small incisions in your abdomen to insert wandlike devices equipped with video cameras and small surgical tools.
- Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery.
- Open surgery.
- Radical nephrectomy.
- Partial nephrectomy.
Can a kidney be removed by keyhole surgery?
A kidney may need to be removed if it is affected by cancer or irreversibly damaged, or if it is being donated for transplantation. It can be done as an open operation or through ‘keyhole surgery’ using several small incisions (laparoscopic).
Is removing a kidney a big operation?
Removing part or all of a kidney is a very serious procedure, and doctors consider it a last resort to preserving your health.
How long does it take to recover after having a kidney removed?
Recovering from kidney removal most often takes around 3 to 6 weeks. You may have some of these symptoms: Pain in your belly or on the side where you had the kidney removed. The pain should get better over several days to a week.
What is the medical term for kidney removal?
In a simple nephrectomy, one kidney is removed. In a radical nephrectomy, an entire kidney, nearby adrenal gland and lymph nodes, and other surrounding tissue are removed. In a bilateral nephrectomy, both kidneys are removed.
What happens when one kidney is removed?
For those born with one kidney, the solitary kidney does the job of both kidneys from day one, often growing into a larger and better functioning kidney. When one kidney is removed or donated, the other kidney does not compensate, and therefore the overall kidney function is decreased by half.
How painful is a kidney removal?
Surgeons may also remove a section of the ureter (tube leading to the bladder), in a procedure called nephroureterectomy. They may also remove the adrenal glands (hormone glands that sit above the kidneys). This may also be performed as an open or laparoscopic/robotic procedure.
How long is surgery for kidney removal?
The procedure can take 3 or more hours. Simple nephrectomy or open kidney removal: You will be lying on your side. Your surgeon will make an incision (cut) up to 12 inches or 30 centimeters (cm) long.
How painful is a nephrectomy?
You will experience some pain and discomfort around the scars, especially in the first week after surgery. You may also experience some pain in your shoulders for a few days after the operation.
How long is recovery after kidney removal?
