Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy

Laparoscopic kidney removal (laparoscopic radical nephrectomy) has been performed since 1991 at Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The surgery was invented here and, thus, no other institution in the world has been performing the surgery as long as Washington University. We perform hundreds of laparoscopic kidney surgeries each year, making Washington University a worldwide leader in the treatment of kidney tumors and cancers.

Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is a surgery to remove the entire kidney. Frequently, lymph nodes around the kidney also are removed. The surgery is performed through three or four small “keyhole” incisions, and the kidney is gently extracted at the end of the procedure through a small incision that is just a few inches long. Laparoscopic kidney removal has several advantages over open kidney removal: much less pain, smaller incisions, improved recovery time and a quicker return to both work and leisure activities. Patients have been very satisfied with the results. Notably, the surgery at Washington University most commonly is performed without “hand assistance”; this can lead to less pain and decreased chance of wound problems.

For cancer control, the laparoscopic approach offers results equivalent to open surgery, as documented in several landmark studies performed at Washington University in the 1990s.

It is important to note that total kidney removal may not be a patient’s only option. If the kidney tumor is very small (less than 4 cm), our surgeons may be able to remove the tumor laparoscopically and still save most of the kidney. This surgery, a laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, also is routinely performed by laparoscopic experts at Washington University.

Virtually all of the Washington University urologic surgeons routinely perform open and laparoscopic surgery of the kidney. Thus, we can tailor the optimal approach for treating your tumor. For an appointment or a second opinion, please call (314) 362-8200.