A laparoscopic nephrectomy is a minimally invasive kind of kidney surgery.
When is laparoscopic kidney surgery used?
Laparoscopic kidney surgery is suitable for patients with benign conditions resulting in end-stage kidney disease (kidney failure) including infection, kidney stones, obstruction, dysplasia and renal vascular hypertension.
Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is an excellent minimally invasive treatment for the majority of localized renal tumors, up to 12 to 15 centimeters in size.
What does this laparoscopic procedure involve?
Unlike a conventional nephrectomy, laparoscopic kidney surgery requires only several small incisions. Through these incisions, a surgeon uses a powerful endoscope – a tiny camera – and specialized surgical instruments to conduct the surgery and remove the kidney.
How long does laparoscopic kidney surgery take?
Laparoscopic kidney surgery takes approximately 2 to 2½ hours, and the hospital stay is usually just overnight, even for large tumors.
What are the advantages of this surgery?
Cleveland Clinic is the only medical center in the United States where the retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum) approach is used consistently for laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. Technically more advanced, Clinic urologists believe this approach offers significant advantages to the patient, including:
- Avoidance of potential bowel complications after surgery
- Reduced hospital stay (one day in younger, healthy patients) and faster healing
- Less postoperative pain and less need for pain medication
- Quicker return to normal activity and work
- Smaller incisions and less scarring
How long has the Cleveland Clinic been performing laparoscopic radical nephrectomies?
Cleveland Clinic was the first medical center in Ohio to perform laparoscopic radical surgery for kidney disease, beginning in 1997. The Clinic now offers laparoscopic options for a majority of kidney diseases and has, by far, the most experience with laparoscopic kidney surgery for cancer in the United States.
How many laparoscopic radical nephrectomies have Cleveland Clinic urologist performed?
To date, the Urological and Kidney Institute laparoscopic team has performed this laparoscopic kidney surgery more than 430 times in both benign and malignant diseases.
