The Nephrectomy – Kidney Removal Surgery
The word “nephrectomy” is a word that refers to a surgical operation for removing a kidney or a section of a kidney. This type of procedure is also referred to as nephrectomy surgery. When the kidney becomes permanently diseased or damaged and can no longer function the way it should, it may be necessary to remove all or part of it through nephrectomy surgery.
The kidneys serve a variety of different functions, but one of the most important is filtering waste and toxins from the blood so they can be removed from the body in urine.
A nephrectomy is done because of one of several possible kidney problems. It is usually done to remove kidneys in cases of kidney failure or kidney cancer.
Doctors use the term “complete” or “radical nephrectomy” to describe a procedure in which the whole kidney is removed. If only part of the kidney is removed, it’s called a partial nephrectomy. When someone donates a healthy kidney to another person it’s called a donor nephrectomy.
A nephrectomy is usually done one of several ways.
1. Laparoscopic Nephrectomy – This is a minimally invasive operation using several small incisions instead of one large one. A small camera is placed inside the body, and the surgeon uses instruments placed in the incisions to remove tissue as needed.
2. Open Nephrectomy – During this procedure, the surgeon removes the kidney through a large open incision in the patient’s side. This is the “traditional” way of kidney removal, and it requires a longer recovery period than a laparoscopic nephrectomy.
The type of kidney removal operation that’s appropriate depends on how much of the kidney needs to be removed, and the cause of the problem.
What factors determine how much tissue must be removed from the kidney?
The first factor is the amount of damage to the kidney, or how much of it has been affected by disease. Is the damage confined to the kidney or has it spread to the tissue surrounding the kidney? Are there one or several tumors in the kidney? It will also depend on whether or not the other kidney is healthy or if both kidneys are damaged.
To help determine the best course to follow, a variety of tests will be given that include the following:
Ultrasound – This takes an image of the soft tissues surrounding the kidney using sound waves.
Computerized Tomography – Specialized X-ray technology is used to produce cross-sectional views of the kidney. Also called CT.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging – An “MRI” uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce a 3D computer image of the kidney.
After looking at all the data from these tests, your doctor will recommend the nephrectomy surgery that is appropriate for your case.
Recovery time is not the same for everyone. It varies depending on the overall condition of your health and the kind of procedure you’ve had.
After a nephrectomy, a number of individuals develop post-surgical complications. These may include high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease. Despite these possibilities, most patients recover fully and return to a quality of life that is the same – or nearly the same – as they had before their operation.
You can get more information on this and related similar subjects by clicking kidney removal surgery, nephrectomy or kidney problems.
