Nephrectomy

Nephrectomy causes

Doctors may recommend a nephrectomy for several reasons, including:

• Kidney cancer
• Serious kidney damage or disease that can’t be treated
• Ongoing infections in the kidney
• Donating a kidney to someone who needs a transplant

Nephrectomy risk factors

Some people are more likely to need this kind of surgery, such as those who have:

• Kidney cancer or tumors
• Long-term kidney infections or injuries
• A serious accident that damaged the kidney
• A family history of kidney disease or cancer

Nephrectomy symptoms

Nephrectomy is a treatment, not a condition—but symptoms that may lead to needing one include:

• Blood in the urine
• Pain in your back or side
• A lump or swelling in your belly or side
• Feeling tired or sick often
• High blood pressure that doesn’t get better with medicine

Nephrectomy diagnosis

To figure out if a nephrectomy is needed, doctors may:

• Check your urine and blood to see how your kidneys are working
• Do imaging tests like a CT scan, ultrasound, or MRI
• Look for signs of tumors, injury, or infection
• Sometimes take a small sample of kidney tissue (biopsy)

Nephrectomy treatment

There are different types of nephrectomy based on what’s going on:

• Partial nephrectomy – only part of the kidney is removed
• Simple nephrectomy – one whole kidney is taken out
• Radical nephrectomy – the whole kidney plus nearby tissue is removed (usually for cancer)
• Surgery can be done with a large cut (open surgery) or small cuts using tools and cameras (laparoscopic or robotic)
• Most people stay in the hospital for a few days after surgery
• It usually takes a few weeks at home to fully recover
• If you still have one healthy kidney, it can take over the job of both

When to seek care

Call your doctor if you:

• Have blood in your urine or pain in your side
• Notice swelling or a lump near your belly or lower back
•  Feel tired all the time or have high blood pressure that won’t improve
• Have been told you may need surgery and want a second opinion