Nephrectomy
About Nephrectomy
Nephrectomy is the surgical removal of a kidney. A radical nephrectomy removes the entire kidney, often with surrounding fat and sometimes the adrenal gland, and is mainly performed for kidney cancer. A partial nephrectomy, also called nephron sparing surgery, removes only the tumor and a margin of healthy tissue and is preferred for many small tumors because it preserves kidney function. A simple nephrectomy removes a non functioning kidney damaged by conditions such as chronic obstruction, infection or stones. Living donor nephrectomy removes a healthy kidney for transplantation to another person. Approaches include open surgery through a flank or abdominal incision, laparoscopic surgery and robot assisted surgery, with minimally invasive approaches now standard for many cases. The first planned nephrectomy was performed by the German surgeon Gustav Simon in 1869. A person can live a normal life with one healthy kidney, and long term monitoring of kidney function is commonly recommended after surgery.
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