Nephrectomy, also known as kidney removal, is a type of surgery that involves removing the entire kidney.
In a nephrectomy, in addition to the kidney, all the blood vessels, the ureter and the fat covering the kidney are removed. It can be associated with the removal of the adrenal gland and some lymph nodes.
This urological surgery is performed on any person who needs it but must have a sufficiently long life expectancy to indicate such surgery. In addition, there must be a favorable balance of benefits vs. risks.
The cases in which a nephrectomy is performed are in tumor processes, such as kidney cancer, in benign processes, especially in infectious processes, or in altruistic donations.
Performing this type of surgery entails certain risks, such as bleeding due to injury to a blood vessel (arterial or venous). There may also be renal lesions (of the renal function), due to failure to recover from the removal of the kidney, or intestinal lesions, due to the lesion of an intestinal segment.
Types of nephrectomy
There are different types of nephrectomy or kidney removal:
- Radical nephrectomy: performed for a tumor process.
- Partial nephrectomy: the tumor is very small, which allows the excision of a small piece of tumor, respecting part of the healthy kidney.
- Simple nephrectomy: it is the removal of the kidney due to inflammatory and/or benign pathology.
- Living donor nephrectomy: this takes place when a living person donates one of his kidneys to another person.
Considerations after the removal of a kidney
After a nephrectomy, the patient can lead a normal lifestyle as long as he/she is in good condition. The patient must take care of himself because he has only one kidney and, in case of colic or infections, he must be more careful. It is necessary to eat a healthy and balanced diet, keep weight within normal limits and avoid risk factors such as smoking and alcohol.