Partial Nephrectomy

Types

Mayo Clinic surgeons perform several types of partial nephrectomy procedures to remove small to medium-sized kidney tumors, 1 to 4 inches (2.5 to 10 centimeters) in size.

Open partial nephrectomy

In open partial nephrectomy, a surgeon makes a large incision on your side, typically between the lower ribs on the side of the affected kidney. Occasionally, a section of rib is removed to gain better access to the kidney. The surgeon removes the affected part of the kidney, as well as a small amount of surrounding kidney tissue to ensure complete cancer removal.

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy

Mayo Clinic surgeons make several small incisions (about 1 inch long). The surgeon inserts a laparoscope in one incision to guide the surgery. The laparoscope is a telescopic device that provides an illuminated and magnified view of the surgical area. Surgical instruments are inserted through the other incisions to perform the surgery.

Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy

Mayo Clinic also performs robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy, a form of laparoscopic surgery in which robotic arms perform the delicate surgery. The surgeon controls the surgical instruments from a remote console a short distance from the operating table. The assisting surgical team inserts the instruments through the abdominal incisions and attaches the instruments to the system's robotic arms.

The advantage of this method is the precision made possible by the computer-enhanced robotic system.

Robotic partial nephrectomy, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy and traditional open surgery yield similar long-term outcomes. However, the much smaller incisions in robotic and laparoscopic surgery usually translate to less postoperative pain and blood loss and a faster return to normal activities. You can expect one to three days of hospital recovery after laparoscopic surgery, as opposed to a stay of up to five days for open surgery.