Kidney Removal (Nephrectomy)

Kidney Removal (Nephrectomy)

Nephrectomy is the surgical removal of a kidney. The procedure is done to treat kidney cancer as well as other kidney diseases and injuries. Nephrectomy is also done to remove a healthy kidney from a donor (either living or deceased) for transplantation.

What are the reasons for kidney removal?

Damaged kidney
You may need to have part or all of your kidney removed if isn’t functioning properly. Reasons for removal include damage or scarring. These may be due to disease, injury, or infection. Cancer is another reason to remove a kidney. If a kidney tumor is small and you catch it early, only part of your kidney may need to be removed.

Donating a kidney
Sometimes, a person will donate their healthy kidney to someone who needs a new kidney. Kidney transplants are more successful with kidneys from living donors than deceased donors. You can be healthy with only one kidney.