Nephroureterectomy

A nephroureterectomy involves the surgical removal of a kidney and its ureter. The kidneys are in charge of filtering waste products out of the blood and disposing of the waste through urination. A ureter is known as the duct that allows urine to pass from the kidney to the bladder. In certain cases, nearby lymph nodes may also need to be removed in order to ensure the cancer is completely gone.

 The procedure of a nephroureterectomy is typically used for patients that have been diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma. Usually, it is more typical for the cancer to be found in the bladder, but can also be found in the kidney or ureter. The causes of transitional cell carcinoma most often stems from smoking cigarettes or exposure to specific chemicals and pesticides.

 Symptoms of Transitional Cell Cancer

If you believe you are suffering from transitional cell cancer, check to see if you have the following symptoms. Transitional cell cancers will likely cause blood to appear in the urine accompanied by heavy back, hip, or rib pain. To get tested for transitional cell cancer, our doctors perform a number of tests in order to correctly diagnose you. These tests consist of urine samples, a CT scan, MRI scan, chest x-ray, and more.

 Treatment Via Nephroureterectomy in NJ

Once you have made the decision with your doctor to go through with surgery, there are several options for treatment including an open, laparoscopic, or robotic nephroureterectomy. Open surgery allows the doctor to access the site of the cancer easier but may require larger incisions. On the contrary, laparoscopic and robotic surgeries are meant to keep incisions to a minimum. A nephroureterectomy is highly recommended to almost all of our patients as the failure to remove the cancer could result in tumor development. As always, our doctors will discuss the risks, complications, and all other factors involved for each specific patient.

 Recovering From Nephroureterectomy

It is mandatory for all patients undergoing a nephroureterectomy to stay in the hospital for 2-4 days to recover. Depending on the patient, our doctors will determine when you can be expected to make a full recovery and get back to normal, everyday life. Somerset Urological Associates always recommends several follow up appointments after surgery. This is meant to be able to monitor your recovery and take every precaution to try to prevent the cancer from coming back.

 Schedule your visit at Somerset Urological Associates today.