Nephrectomy

The commonest reason for a kidney to be removed (nephrectomy) is cancer, followed by severe damage due to infection or obstruction.

The kidneys lie high in the abdomen, below the diaphragm and as a result can only be reached by traditional surgery through a large incision. The laparoscopic operation is performed through 4 x 5-12 mm cuts near the rib cage.

The results of over several hundred laparoscopic nephrectomies for benign and for cancerous kidneys have been published to date. The cure rate from cancer appears to be identical whether the kidney is removed by traditional or laparoscopic means [3].

>> Click here for the Nephrectomy information sheet

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