Partial Nephrectomy

About

Historically, kidney tumors often escaped detection until patients experienced one or more of the classic symptoms of pain, blood in the urine, or a palpable abdominal mass. By that stage in the tumor's development, complete kidney removal surgery (radical nephrectomy) was often unavoidable.

Today, kidney tumors are routinely detected earlier, during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a computed tomography (CT) scan, or abdominal ultrasound being performed for other conditions. In fact, Mayo Clinic surgeons perform 70 percent of kidney procedures because of kidney masses discovered incidentally.

In patients for whom it's appropriate, partial nephrectomy at Mayo Clinic can be as effective as radical nephrectomy. Also, partial nephrectomy offers potential benefits over radical nephrectomy. Most notably, partial nephrectomy preserves some or most kidney function, which is particularly important for patients who would require regular dialysis treatment and/or kidney transplant following a radical nephrectomy, such as patients who have only one kidney or patients with a history of diabetes, hypertension, kidney stones, or other kidney disease.

Mayo's urological surgeons have performed thousands of partial nephrectomies over the past 30 years, and are experienced leaders in the procedure.

What to Expect

If your condition calls for nephrectomy, a Mayo Clinic surgeon will review your imaging studies to determine if you are a candidate for partial nephrectomy. The surgeon will also assess whether laparoscopic (or robot-assisted laparoscopic) surgery is an option. Your kidney function will be tested and, based on the results and imaging studies, your care team will recommend the most appropriate approach for partial nephrectomy surgery. Read more about the different types of partial nephrectomy.

Following surgery, the care team will closely monitor your progress to guard against complications from blood clots or infection, and to ensure you maintain normal urinary function.

As with any surgery, partial nephrectomy entails some risks. Generally, however, postsurgical risks associated with partial nephrectomy are minimal.

It is possible, although uncommon, that surgeons may be unable to preserve enough kidney function to avoid dialysis. Some patients' kidney disease may be too severe, or surgeons may need to remove more kidney tissue than anticipated. In such cases, the surgical outcome becomes similar to radical nephrectomy.

Hospital stays for partial nephrectomy can be as short as one to three days. Within two to three weeks, you should notice significant pain reduction. Learn more about what to expect prior to and after surgery.