Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionContraindicationsRisksPurposePreparationWhat to ExpectRecovery
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Contraindications
Risks
Purpose
Preparation
What to Expect
Recovery
Anephrectomyis a surgery to remove all or part of akidney. This procedure is usually done to treat kidney damage or diseases likekidney cancer. It can also be performed to remove a healthy kidney from a donor fortransplant.
Surgical approaches for nephrectomy include a traditional open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, or robotic surgery. Full recovery can take up to three months.
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What Is a Nephrectomy?
The main types of nephrectomy include:
Options for surgical techniques include:
Because it involves removing a main organ, a nephrectomy is an inpatient procedure, meaning it requires an overnight hospital stay. Nephrectomy can be done on an emergency basis if there is sudden trauma or disease to the kidney, or as a scheduled procedure in the event of a planned kidney donation.
As with any surgery, there may be some patients who aren’t good candidates for a nephrectomy. In general, nephrectomy wouldnotbe an option for people who:
Other factors may also play a role in the decision to undergo a nephrectomy. Ultimately, your medical team will provide a recommendation on whether it’s likely to be a safe and effective procedure for you.
Potential Risks
Likeall surgeries, a nephrectomy has the potential to pose risks to your health, including:
Specifically for nephrectomy, there is a risk for kidney disease or failure in the remaining kidney. You can still live with one kidney, as long as it’s healthy and functioning.
Procedure RecapNephrectomy—whether all or partial—is a serious procedure that can be lifesaving, but it can also have potentially life-threatening complications. Your healthcare provider or surgeon will take your individual situation into consideration when recommending kidney removal as either a first-line emergency or a last resort treatment.
Procedure Recap
Nephrectomy—whether all or partial—is a serious procedure that can be lifesaving, but it can also have potentially life-threatening complications. Your healthcare provider or surgeon will take your individual situation into consideration when recommending kidney removal as either a first-line emergency or a last resort treatment.
Purpose of a Nephrectomy
A nephrectomy is performed to remove all or part of a kidney in several different circumstances, including:
Before a nephrectomy, you’ll be required to take certain tests to ensure you’re healthy enough to undergo the procedure, or healthy enough to donate a kidney to someone else. These may include:
How to Prepare
Several steps need to be taken before having a nephrectomy, and preparation may be slightly different for each person. Your surgeon’s office will schedule the procedure in advance and let you know what you need to do toprepare for surgery.
You should expect to take several weeks off from work and other obligations for the surgery itself and the recovery period.
Location
A nephrectomy takes place in a standard hospital operating room and will require a hospital stay of at least one day and up to a week post-surgery. You’ll be told what time to arrive at the location to check-in and get settled before the surgery.
What to Wear
Plan to arrive wearing loose-fitting, comfortable clothes that are easy to change out of. You’ll be wearing a hospital gown for the surgery and most of the hospital stay, but you may want to bring your own socks, slippers, robe, or comfortable sweatpants.
Food and Drink
Because a nephrectomy involves anesthesia, there will be certain food and drink restrictions before the surgery. Your surgeon will likely direct you not to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the procedure.
If you’ve been told it’s safe to continue taking any routine prescription medications, you may take them with a small sip of water.
Medications
Before the procedure, you may have to stop taking some medications and supplements. Certain classes of drugs—likenonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) andanticoagulants(blood thinners)—cause increased bleeding and can interfere with wound healing.
Your surgeon will give you instructions on what to do concerning your current medications and prescribe any that are needed before surgery.
What to Bring
Plan on packing basic care items for the hospital stay after your nephrectomy, but don’t wear any jewelry and leave anything of value at home. Your packing list may include items like:
You’ll also need to schedule a ride home from the hospital with a responsible adult. The anesthesia given during the procedure, pain meds in the hospital, and the pain from the incision will make it difficult for you to drive safely.
Pre-Op Lifestyle Changes
Your surgeon will encourage you tostop smokingat least two weeks before andafter surgery. Cigarette smoke affects blood vessels, reducing the amount of blood and oxygen that reaches the surgical wound. This not only slows down healing but increases the risk of treatment failure.
What to Expect on the Day of Surgery
On the days leading up to surgery, expect to be in touch with the surgical team and other healthcare professionals from the hospital. They’ll keep you updated on preparing for the nephrectomy and will be available to answer any last-minute questions you may have.
Before the Surgery
On the day of your surgery, you will arrive at the hospital to check-in at a specified time. This is when you’ll fill out paperwork or remaining medical forms before being taken back to a pre-operative room to get ready.
Then, you’ll change out of your clothes into a hospital gown. A nurse will review your medication list, record yourvitals(blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature) and place an intravenous (IV) line into a vein in your arm or hand. Fluids and any medications needed will be administered through that IV line. They may also clip any excess hair on the abdomen or flank area.
Shortly before the nephrectomy, your surgeon will come to greet you, explain the procedure in detail, and go over the risks involved. You’ll be asked to sign a consent form authorizing the surgery and indicating that you understand the potential risks involved. The surgeon will also mark the side of surgery.
From there, you will be wheeled into the operating room. Youranesthesia providerwill first give you an IV sedative to help you relax and ensure you can’t move or feel pain during the procedure. Then, a breathing tube (endotracheal tube) will be inserted through your mouth and into your windpipe to help you breathe during the procedure. Acatheteris also placed in the urethra to collect urine and measure urine output.
The surgical staff will swab your abdomen with an antiseptic solution that kills germs and put a drape around the surgical area to prevent infections.
After you’re fully under anesthesia, your surgery will begin.
During the Surgery
Your nephrectomy may be anopen surgeryor a laparoscopic surgery or robotic surgery. After the entire or partial kidney is removed, the incisions will be closed with stitches or staples, and dressings will be placed to keep them clean and dry.
The procedure can take one to three hours, and the surgeon will be assisted with a team of healthcare providers and nurses. Throughout the entire process, you will be under anesthesia, meaning you will be asleep and unable to feel pain.
After the Surgery
Once the nephrectomy is complete, the anesthesia will be stopped and you will slowly begin to wake up. You’ll be wheeled to a recovery room for a few hours, where you’ll feel groggy and possibly experience some pain as you start to become more alert.
During this time, a nurse will monitor your vital signs. Once you’re awake and your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable, you’ll be moved to your hospital room tobegin recovering.
A medical team will closely monitor your:
The IV will stay in place so you can receive medications and fluids for the remainder of your hospital stay. The urinary catheter will also remain in place until you’re able to get out of bed and walk to the bathroom. Your diet will start with liquids and advance to solids as the recovery period continues.
A nephrectomy is a major operation, and your body will need time to regain its normal function and fully heal. Certain factors can increase or decrease recovery times, including:
What to Expect When Recovering From Surgery
Healing
While most patients can expect to return home from the hospital within a week or so, full healing from a nephrectomy generally takes a few weeks but can take up to three months.
As part of the healing process and promotion of normal physical functions shortly after the surgery, you can expect to:
During this initial healing period, it’s important that you:
After a nephrectomy, you will feel pain at the surgical site and will likely notice bruising or redness around the incisions. This is normal.Your medical team will work with you to manage post-surgical pain or other symptoms with medications.
When to Call the DoctorNotify a healthcare provider right away if you have the following symptoms:HighfeverSevere pain that doesn’t improvePusor blood from the surgical woundsTrouble breathingSwollen abdomenInability to eat, drink, or urinate
When to Call the Doctor
Notify a healthcare provider right away if you have the following symptoms:HighfeverSevere pain that doesn’t improvePusor blood from the surgical woundsTrouble breathingSwollen abdomenInability to eat, drink, or urinate
Notify a healthcare provider right away if you have the following symptoms:
Coping With Recovery
Having a kidney (or part of it) removed can feel like a long, overwhelming, and stressful experience. While you will need help with everyday activities for the first few weeks, keep in mind that you should be able to return to most of your regular routine after four to six weeks (with your healthcare provider’s permission).
Until then, here are a few tips to help you cope:
Perhaps most importantly, don’t push yourself too hard. It’s important to avoid any undue stress at this point in the recovery process.
Emotional Toll of SurgerySerious surgeries like a nephrectomy can sometimes cause emotional distress. It’s normal to feel anxious, depressed, orworriedto some degree. In addition to seeking support from family and friends, you may want to check with a healthcare provider about support groups for people going through similar kidney issues, or a mental health professional who can provide the right care.
Emotional Toll of Surgery
Serious surgeries like a nephrectomy can sometimes cause emotional distress. It’s normal to feel anxious, depressed, orworriedto some degree. In addition to seeking support from family and friends, you may want to check with a healthcare provider about support groups for people going through similar kidney issues, or a mental health professional who can provide the right care.
Long-Term Care
After a nephrectomy, you’ll need to check-in with your healthcare provider more often. Your surgeon will want to meet with you several times after the surgery to make sure you’re recovering properly.
You can also expect regular follow-up visits in the weeks, months, and years post-surgery, where your healthcare provider will continue to monitor your kidney function.
Is Kidney Cancer Curable? Understanding the Odds
Lifestyle Adjustments
After a nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy, your healthcare provider will want to make sure you maintain normal overall kidney function. To this end, they may make recommendations for lifestyle adjustments, such as:
Life Expectancy After Kidney Removal
Summary
A nephrectomy is a surgery to remove all or part of a kidney. It’s typically necessary for people with kidney cancer, kidney disease, a damaged kidney, or a kidney tumor. This surgery can also be performed if your kidney is getting donated for transplant. After a nephrectomy, you’ll be required to stay in the hospital at least one day and maybe up to a week. Full recovery can take up to six to 12 weeks.
Removing all (or part) of a kidney is a serious decision with possible risks, but it can be lifesaving for you or someone else. Kidneys are the mostcommonly transplanted organ, and thanks to advances in medicine, kidney transplants are successful in increasing life expectancy. For support with the kidney removal and transplant process, visit theNational Kidney Foundation.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bhat S.Role of surgery in advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma.Indian J Urol. 2010;26(2):167-176. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.65381American Cancer Society.Surgery for kidney cancer.Klaassen Z, Kohut RM Jr, Patel D, Terris MK, Madi R.A single surgeon’s experience with open, laparoscopic, and robotic partial nephrectomy.Int Sch Res Notices. 2014;2014:430914. doi:10.1155/2014/430914Albqami Nasser, Janetschek Gunter.Indications and contraindications for the use of laparoscopic surgery for renal cell carcinoma.Nature Clinical Practice Urology.2006(3): 32-37. doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro0384National Kidney Foundation.Nephrectomy.Cancer Research UK.Kidney cancer: before your operation.American College of Surgeons.Medication and surgery: before your operation.University of Michigan Health.Nephrectomy.MedlinePlus.Kidney removal.MedlinePlus.Kidney removal - discharge.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bhat S.Role of surgery in advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma.Indian J Urol. 2010;26(2):167-176. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.65381American Cancer Society.Surgery for kidney cancer.Klaassen Z, Kohut RM Jr, Patel D, Terris MK, Madi R.A single surgeon’s experience with open, laparoscopic, and robotic partial nephrectomy.Int Sch Res Notices. 2014;2014:430914. doi:10.1155/2014/430914Albqami Nasser, Janetschek Gunter.Indications and contraindications for the use of laparoscopic surgery for renal cell carcinoma.Nature Clinical Practice Urology.2006(3): 32-37. doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro0384National Kidney Foundation.Nephrectomy.Cancer Research UK.Kidney cancer: before your operation.American College of Surgeons.Medication and surgery: before your operation.University of Michigan Health.Nephrectomy.MedlinePlus.Kidney removal.MedlinePlus.Kidney removal - discharge.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bhat S.Role of surgery in advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma.Indian J Urol. 2010;26(2):167-176. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.65381American Cancer Society.Surgery for kidney cancer.Klaassen Z, Kohut RM Jr, Patel D, Terris MK, Madi R.A single surgeon’s experience with open, laparoscopic, and robotic partial nephrectomy.Int Sch Res Notices. 2014;2014:430914. doi:10.1155/2014/430914Albqami Nasser, Janetschek Gunter.Indications and contraindications for the use of laparoscopic surgery for renal cell carcinoma.Nature Clinical Practice Urology.2006(3): 32-37. doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro0384National Kidney Foundation.Nephrectomy.Cancer Research UK.Kidney cancer: before your operation.American College of Surgeons.Medication and surgery: before your operation.University of Michigan Health.Nephrectomy.MedlinePlus.Kidney removal.MedlinePlus.Kidney removal - discharge.
Bhat S.Role of surgery in advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma.Indian J Urol. 2010;26(2):167-176. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.65381
American Cancer Society.Surgery for kidney cancer.
Klaassen Z, Kohut RM Jr, Patel D, Terris MK, Madi R.A single surgeon’s experience with open, laparoscopic, and robotic partial nephrectomy.Int Sch Res Notices. 2014;2014:430914. doi:10.1155/2014/430914
Albqami Nasser, Janetschek Gunter.Indications and contraindications for the use of laparoscopic surgery for renal cell carcinoma.Nature Clinical Practice Urology.2006(3): 32-37. doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro0384
National Kidney Foundation.Nephrectomy.
Cancer Research UK.Kidney cancer: before your operation.
American College of Surgeons.Medication and surgery: before your operation.
University of Michigan Health.Nephrectomy.
MedlinePlus.Kidney removal.
MedlinePlus.Kidney removal - discharge.
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