The object of partial nephrectomy surgery is to remove the tumor and leave the remaining portion of the kidney in place. The major advantage of this surgery is that a surgeon is removing only the tumor from the kidney, instead of the entire kidney, resulting in a lower chance of long-term kidney failure.
Because so much blood passes through the kidney, the kidney’s major blood vessels are closed with clamps during partial nephrectomy. This “warm ischemia” cannot continue for longer than 30 minutes without damaging the kidney tissues. During this 30-minute interval, a surgeon will remove the tumor and reconstruct the remaining healthy tissue.
Benefits of robotic partial nephrectomy compared to conventional open surgery include:
- Less post-operative pain
- Less blood loss
- A quicker return to normal, everyday activities