University Hospitals Department of Urology Surgeons Utilize Specialized Surgical Procedure
Using small endoscopes (thin instruments equipped with tiny cameras), surgeons operate through a series of 1 to 2 cm incisions and/or the body’s natural opening (the belly button).
For a minimally invasive kidney removal, a surgeon may make three or four holes in a patient’s side and abdomen. Each hole is no more than 1 inch long. Thin laparoscopes or probes equipped with video cameras and lighting are inserted in the holes to guide the surgery. Toward the end of the procedure, the surgeon enlarges one of the incisions to about 4 inches and removes the kidney. In contrast, an open surgery would require the doctor to make an incision measuring up to 12 inches long on the patient’s side and perhaps involve removing a rib.
Benefits of Laparoscopic Surgery
Laparoscopy is proven to minimize surgical trauma to healthy tissue, reducing the risk of infection and other complications to improve surgical outcomes. These techniques allow physicians to treat many urologic conditions, including urinary stones, urethral obstructions, bladder tumors, benign prostate enlargement and prostate cancer, via small incisions and the body’s natural opening.
Patient benefits include:
- Faster recovery
- Reduced hospitalizations
- Less blood loss
- Less scarring
- Reduced pain