| Kidney Surgery:
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Kidney
removal, also called nephrectomy,
is a surgical procedure to remove
a kidney.
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Surgical
procedure for removal of kidney
The
kidneys are organs in the body that perform
vital functions and are necessary to maintain
life. Typically, people are born with two
kidneys, which are located in the middle
of the back, one on each side of the spine.
Most people associate the kidneys with urine
production. In addition to making urine,
the kidneys regulate the body’s fluids,
balance the body’s chemicals, remove waste
products from the body and release several
hormones. Some diseases of the kidneys require
total or partial removal of the kidney.
Laparoscopic
Nephrectomy is a minimally invasive surgical
procedure performed to remove the kidney.
Before the development of this minimally
invasive approach, surgeons traditionally
performed an “open” abdominal/flank incision
10 to 12 inches long that also required
partial removal of a rib. The large incision
contributed to a long hospital stay and
lengthy recovery. Today surgeons use a minimally
invasive approach and can perform the surgery
laparoscopically. In the laparoscopic procedure,
the surgeon makes four or five tiny incisions
to the abdomen. The surgeon uses a laparoscope,
a long slender instrument that contains
a camera, to view the internal surgical
field.
In
some instances, one of the small incisions
may be extended two to three inches to assist
with the removal of the kidney. Many patients
experience a minimal amount of pain/discomfort
after surgery. When cleared by your physician
you will be able to get out of bed and walk,
begin to start eating, and shortly thereafter
be discharged home.
Description
This
surgery is done under general anesthesia
(asleep and pain-free). The surgeon makes
a cut in the abdomen or in the side of the
abdomen (flank area). A rib may need to
be removed to perform the procedure. The
ureter (the tube that carries urine from
the kidney to the bladder) and the blood
vessels are cut away from the kidney and
the kidney is removed. The cut is then closed.
Kidney removal
may be done as open surgery, which involves
a large cut in the side of the abdomen.
Some patients may have laparoscopic surgery,
which is less invasive and involves three
or four small cuts, usually no more than
an inch each, in the abdominal and flank
areas.
Kidney
removal - series: Normal anatomy
The
kidneys are paired organs that lie posterior
to the abdomen, in the area of the lower
back. The kidneys make urine, which is transported
from the kidneys to the bladder by the ureters.
Indications
Kidney
removal may be recommended for:
Risks
Risks
for any anesthesia include the following:
- Reactions
to medications
-
Problems breathing
Risks for
any surgery include the following:
Expectations
after surgery
Outcome
is usually good in the case of the removal
of a single kidney. If both kidneys are
removed or if the remaining kidney does
not function well enough, hemodialysis or
kidney transplantation will be necessary
to maintain life.
Convalescence
You
will be given fluids through an IV and pain
medication. Kidney removal surgery is often
very painful because of the location. The
health care team will carefully watch your
blood pressure and electrolytes and fluid
balance. These body functions are controlled
in part by the kidneys. You will most likely
have a urinary catheter (tube to drain urine)
in place for a short time during your recovery.
You
will probably remain in the hospital for
2 to 7 days, depending on the method of
surgery used. You will be encouraged to
return to light activities as soon as you
feel up to it. Strenuous activity should
be avoided for 6 weeks following the procedure.
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