Nephrectomy & Partial Nephrectomy

A nephrectomy is surgery to remove cancer in and around one of the kidneys. The doctor removes the kidney, ureter (the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder) and surrounding connective tissue.

Sometimes lymph nodes and the adrenal gland are also removed. Kidney cancer does not respond well to radiation or chemotherapy, therefore surgery is the preferred treatment and the one most likely to cure it. There are several approaches to the surgery; the one that’s right for you will depend on the size and location of the tumor, the function of your other kidney, what prior surgery you have undergone, and your personal preferences.

Partial nephrectomy is surgery that removes just the part of the kidney that contains cancer. This is a particularly important consideration for patients who have only one kidney, or who have poor kidney function. Partial nephrectomy is usually possible only with small tumors located on the edges of the kidney.

Risks associated with the procedure:

• Bleeding, pain, or infection;
• Possible risks to the heart and lungs, as with any surgery that involves general anesthesia. Discuss risks with your anesthesia doctor; 
• The structures around the kidney may be injured during the procedure; 
• A possibility of weakness of the lower back muscles, or sagging in the side of the abdomen. Patients could (temporarily or permanently) lose some of the feeling in the lower back or abdomen; 
• The doctor may not be able to remove all of the cancer, or the cancer may reoccur; 
• The remaining kidney may not be able to function enough to clear the waste products from the system. The patient may need dialysis, a technique that separates wastes from the bloodstream.