PostsWhen medical professionals use the term “nephrectomy,” they’re referring to an operation in which part or all of a kidney is removed. The term “nephrectomy surgery” is often used to describe the same operation. When the kidney becomes irreparably diseased or damaged and can no longer function as it should, it may become necessary to remove all or part of it through nephrectomy surgery.
One of the most important functions of a kidney is to filter waste from the blood. It produces urine to eliminate this waste from the body.
A nephrectomy is done as a treatment for one of several possible kidney problems. Kidney cancer and kidney failure are two of the primary reasons for a nephrectomy.
A complete or radical nephrectomy means the whole kidney is removed. When only a part of the kidney is taken out, it’s called a partial nephrectomy. A “donor nephrectomy” is a procedure in which one person donates a healthy kidney to another person with a diseased kidney as part of a kidney transplant operation.
There are two common ways a nephrectomy procedure can be performed and they are listed below:
1. Laparoscopic Nephrectomy - This relatively new and innovative procedure allows the surgeon to avoid making a large incision. Instead, he or she makes a series of small incisions. These incisions are used to insert a miniature tube-like camera and the other instruments necessary to the procedure. The surgeon looks at an TV screen while manipulating the instruments to remove all or part of the kidney.
2. Open Nephrectomy - This is the “traditional” method of removing a kidney. Tissue is taken out through a large open incision.
The condition of the kidney and how much tissue needs to be removed will determine what type of nephrectomy is the better option.
You’re probably wondering what factors determine how much kidney tissue needs to be removed.
It depends on several different things. The first thing the surgeon will consider will be how much of the kidney is damaged or affected by disease. The doctor will also consider whether the damage is located in more than one kidney or not. In the case of a cancerous tumor, he or she will want to know if it has spread to nearby tissues or to the other kidney.
There are a number of tests that can be used to help get the answers your doctor needs to do the procedure, including:
Ultrasound - The doctor creates a computer-enhanced picture of the kidney and surrounding tissues uses sound waves.
Computerized Tomography - Also known as CT, this uses specialized X-Ray technology to produce images of a thin cross-sectional view of the soft tissues within the kidney.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - You’ve probably heard of this as an “MRI.” This technology employs radio waves and a magnetic field to produce a 3D, computer-enhanced image your doctor can use to evaluate the level of disease or damage in an organ.
Your doctor will decide on the best type of surgery for your situation after examining the tests.
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.
When you’ve had a nephrectomy, certain post-surgical complications are possible. These could include chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure. Still, in most cases, a person who has had a nephrectomy can live a happy, healthy life with the remaining kidney tissue - even though overall kidney function will be less than normal.
You can get additional information on this and related similar topics by clicking removing a kidney, nephrectomy or kidney problems.
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