Are you afraid of a kidney surgery (nephrectomy)? Let's talk about it simply.

It's normal to feel a little scared and nervous when your doctor tells you or someone you know that they need to have a kidney removal surgery. When you hear the word 'nephrectomy', a lot of questions probably come to mind. "Can you live with one kidney?", "Is this a major operation?", "How long will it take to recover?"... So today, we'll talk about Nephrectomy, the surgery to remove a kidney, in a very simple way that you can understand.

What is Nephrectomy?

Simply put, a Nephrectomy is a surgical procedure that removes part or all of one of your kidneys. We are all born with two kidneys. But you can live a healthy life with just one kidney. However, the remaining kidney must be functioning properly.

There are two main types of nephrectomy surgery:

• Partial nephrectomy: In this procedure, the surgeon removes only the diseased or damaged part of your kidney. The entire kidney is not removed.
• Radical nephrectomy: This involves removing the entire kidney. Sometimes, the doctor may also remove the ureter—the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder—on the same side. If necessary, the adrenal gland and surrounding lymph nodes may also be removed.

Why do you need to remove a kidney?

The main reason for removing a kidney is a tumor that develops in the kidney. This tumor can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign).

In addition, your doctor may also recommend a nephrectomy in the following cases:

• If you have recurrent kidney infections (pyelonephritis) .
• If one of your kidneys stops working completely and you are having other complications. (However, if there are no problems, you can keep the non-functioning kidney in your body).
• As a treatment for other kidney conditions (such as polycystic kidney disease ).
• If you donate a healthy kidney to someone else .

How do you prepare before surgery?

Before surgery, a doctor will check your general health. They will check your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure. They will also do a blood test to find out what your blood type is. This is because they need to be prepared in case you need to donate blood during surgery.

It is also very important to tell us about any allergies you have. For example:

• For medicines
• Skin cleansing liquids (e.g. chlorhexidine, iodine)
• For latex
• For some foods

Your doctor will advise you not to eat or drink anything the night before your surgery (fasting). This is because if you have food or fluids in your stomach during the surgery, they could be vomited up and into your lungs, which could lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia.

What are the surgical methods?

There are two main methods of performing a nephrectomy. Let's look at the differences between the two.

What happens after the surgery?

After the surgery, you will be kept in the Recovery Room and carefully monitored until you wake up. You may feel drowsy and nauseous for a while due to the anesthesia. This is normal. You will be given medication to control the pain.

Usually, solid foods are not given for a day or two. Liquids are given. The day after surgery, you are encouraged to get out of bed and walk around a bit. Walking improves blood circulation, helps you heal faster, and prevents blood clots in your legs (deep vein thrombosis).

You will usually have to stay in the hospital for between 1 and 5 days. This will vary depending on the type of surgery you had. Even after you go home, it is not recommended to do anything heavy (such as lifting more than 4.5 kg) for about 6 weeks.

How is life with one kidney?

This is the biggest problem that many people have. Don't worry. You can live a completely normal life with one healthy kidney.

After surgery, your remaining kidney will enlarge slightly within a few days and begin to do double the work of your body. This means that one kidney is adapting to do the work of two.

However, you need to protect your precious kidneys. Therefore, it is wise to stay away from high-impact sports like hockey, rugby, and wrestling. Also, it is essential to get regular kidney function tests (such as `creatinine clearance`, `eGFR`) done as directed by your doctor.

When to see a doctor immediately

Your doctor will give you follow-up dates. However, if you experience any of the following symptoms, see a doctor or go to the hospital immediately:

• Difficulty breathing (dyspnea)
• Changes in urine (frequent urination, change in color)
• Swelling of the legs, buttocks, or face (edema)
• Leg pain
• Sudden increase in blood pressure (hypertension)
• Nausea or vomiting
• Brain fog

These could be signs of a problem with the remaining kidney, so don't ignore them.

Nephrectomy, kidney surgery, removal of a kidney, laparoscopic surgery, living with one kidney, kidney cancer, kidney donation