Partial Nephrectomy

Overview

Partial nephrectomy is the removal of part of the kidney instead of the entire kidney as a treatment for kidney tumors. At Mayo Clinic, it is the preferred treatment option for small, single tumors located in only one kidney. Research at Mayo and elsewhere has shown that people who received this treatment had higher overall survival rates than did people who had their whole kidney removed (radical nephrectomy).

Why choose Mayo Clinic for partial nephrectomy

• Experience. Mayo Clinic urologic surgeons have performed thousands of partial nephrectomies. Mayo was one of the first medical centers to begin performing this procedure more than 30 years ago.
• Minimally invasive options. Mayo surgeons offer less invasive laparoscopic and robot-assisted options for partial nephrectomy.
• Leader in research. Mayo Clinic doctors track the results of Mayo patients treated for kidney cancer for ways to improve outcomes. One study showed that greater than 90 percent of people who received a partial nephrectomy for a kidney tumor were still alive 10 years after surgery.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Hospitals for urology by U.S. News & World Report.