MediGence: Enabling Better Health Decisions

Nephrectomy is the procedure for removing either the part of the complete kidney. The patient may require a nephrectomy because of kidney cancer or other kidney diseases that result in a scarred, damaged, or non-functional kidney. The doctor also performs a nephrectomy of a healthy kidney from the donor as part of the kidney transplant procedure.

The nephrectomy may be a radical nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy. Radical nephrectomy is also known as complete nephrectomy. In this procedure, the surgeon removes the kidney and other associated structures such as the tube, adrenal gland, or lymph nodes. In the partial nephrectomy, the surgeon removes the diseased kidney tissues and leaves intact most parts of the kidney.

You may expect the following before nephrectomy:

Your doctor performs your complete health evaluation to determine whether a complete or partial nephrectomy will be suitable for you.
You may ask various concerns about the procedure, including the eligibility for minimally invasive surgery, other possible treatment options for your condition, and side effects of the procedure.
Ask about the side effects and recovery time after the procedure.
As you might have to stay at the hospital for around one week, you should plan your stay accordingly.
Your doctor may advise you regarding the eating schedule before surgery.
You should also ask your doctor about the current medicines you are taking and the precautions you should take before the procedure.
Your doctor will discuss with you various types of nephrectomy procedures along with their advantages, disadvantages, and costs involved.

You will be under general anesthesia during the procedure. You may also have a urinary catheter to drain the urine. You may undergo one of the following procedures of nephrectomy:

Open Surgery: The surgeon performs the open surgeries in those cases where it is not feasible to perform minimally invasive surgery. To expose the kidney during open surgery, the surgeon makes an incision on the abdomen or along the sides.

Laparoscopic Surgery: It is a minimally invasive surgery. During this surgery, the surgeon makes an incision to insert a tube with a camera. Through the camera, the surgeon views the images inside the body. Then the surgeon makes another incision to insert the operating tools. The surgeon will make a slightly larger hole in case of radical nephrectomy.

Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Surgery: Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is an advanced form of minimally invasive surgery. During this procedure, the robot makes a small incision and performs a perfect surgery. The robot can perform hand motions similar to a surgeon. As the surgery is accurate, the patient experiences fewer complications.

The length and speed of recovery depend upon various factors, including your overall health and type of nephrectomy procedure. You may have to stay at the hospital for a few days. The doctor may remove the urinary catheter after some time. Your doctor may advise you regarding physical activities and diet. Once you start feeling well, perform light activities. Do not indulge in strenuous activities during the recovery period. Once you recover fully, you can resume your normal activities.

Your doctor will provide you certain precautionary measures to keep your remaining kidney healthy and functional. Do not forget to visit the clinic for follow-up checkups The doctor may call you for evaluating your blood pressure and various kidney functions.