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Radical Nephrectomy
Radical nephrectomy involves removing the entire kidney, along with a section of the tube leading to the bladder (ureter), the gland that sits atop the kidney (adrenal gland), and the fatty tissue surrounding the kidney. When both kidneys are removed at the same time, the procedure is called bilateral nephrectomy.
The most common reason for a nephrectomy is to remove a tumor from the kidney. These tumors are often cancer, but sometimes they’re not. In other cases, nephrectomy can help treat a diseased or damaged kidney. It’s also used to remove a healthy kidney from an organ donor for transplant into a person who needs a working kidney.
Most people have two kidneys — fist-sized organs located near the back of the upper stomach area, also called abdomen. The kidneys:
- Filter wastes and extra fluid from the blood.
- Make urine.
- Maintain proper levels of minerals in the bloodstream.
- Make hormones that help control blood pressure, create red blood cells and keep bones strong.
Nephrectomy is often a safe procedure. But as with any surgery, it comes with risks such as:
- Bleeding.
- Infection.
- Injury to nearby organs.
- Pneumonia after surgery.
- Reactions to medicine that prevents pain during surgery, called anesthesia.
- Pneumonia after surgery.
- Rarely, other serious problems, such as kidney failure.