“Nephrectomy” is a medical term which refers to a surgical operation for the removal of a kidney or part of a kidney. It may also be referred to as nephrectomy surgery. When normal kidney functions are compromised because of disease or damage, kidney removal surgery or a nephrectomy may be become necessary.
The role of the kidney is to filter unneeded waste and harmful toxins from the blood so they can be passed out of the body as urine.
A nephrectomy is done as a treatment for one of several possible kidney problems. It is typically done to remove kidneys in cases involving kidney failure or kidney cancer.
When the entire kidney is removed, it is called a complete or radical nephrectomy. When only part it removed, it’s called a partial nephrectomy. Sometimes, a person who needs a kidney transplant will receive a healthy kidney from another person. A “donor nephrectomy” is the term used to describe the procedure in which the healthy kidney is removed from the donor.
There are two common ways kidney removal surgery can be performed and they are listed below:
1. Laparoscopic Nephrectomy - When the surgeon makes several small incisions in the abdomen instead of one large one, it’s called a laparoscopic nephrectomy. This is a minimally invasive operation which employs a camera attached to a tube to guide the surgeon’s movements as he or she removes tissue.
2. Open Nephrectomy - This type of nephrectomy operation involves one single large open incision rather than several small ones. The surgeon removes as much tissue as necessary through the large incision. This is the “traditional” method of kidney removal, and requires a longer recovery period.
The type of nephrectomy procedure that’s appropriate depends on how much of the kidney needs to be removed, and the cause of the problem.
The question you’re probably asking right now is, “What factors determine how much of the kidney needs to be removed?”
The first factor is the amount of damage to the kidney, or how much of it has been affected by disease. Your doctor will have to ascertain whether the damage or disease is confined to one kidney or one area. Or does it affect nearby tissues or the other kidney?
Several types of tests can be used to help get the answers your doctor needs to do the procedure, including:
Ultrasound - Sound waves can be used to “paint” a computer-enhanced picture of the kidney and surrounding tissues.
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.
Your doctor will decide on the nephrectomy 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.
Sometimes there are long term complications associated with kidney removal surgery. These include hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Nonetheless, most of the time, 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 more information on this and related similar subjects by clicking taking out a kidney, nephrectomy or kidney problem.
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
