Minimally invasive surgery for kidney cancer results in less pain and a faster recovery.

When kidney cancer strikes, surgery is often the best treatment. But the thought of surgery doesn’t need to add stress. Many Cleveland Clinic patients have kidney cancer tumors removed robotically, with minimally invasive techniques.

Minimally invasive surgery means patients can avoid the larger cuts of traditional surgery, which often require a longer, more painful recovery.

“We try not to remove more healthy tissue than necessary,” says Cleveland Clinic urologist Michael Gong, MD, PhD, who sees patients at Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital. “Even large cancer tumors can be removed from the kidney with minimally invasive techniques.”

Cleveland Clinic is the most experienced program in the United States for performing laparoscopic surgery for kidney cancer. Laparoscopy uses thin surgical instruments inserted into the body through tiny cuts. Surgical techniques developed at Cleveland Clinic are taught nationwide.

During laparoscopic kidney cancer surgery, patients are given anesthesia and go to sleep.

The surgeon makes small cuts in the patient’s abdomen. Through these cuts, the surgeon inserts slender surgical equipment including a tiny camera. The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas so the surgeon has space to move the equipment and can reach the cancer tumor. Blood flow to the kidney is stopped so the cancer can be cut out of the kidney and removed from the body. The surgeon sews the healthy kidney tissue back together and blood flow is restarted. The operation takes two to four hours. After surgery, patients are encouraged to walk around, which is good for restoring blood flow and normal function. Walking also helps prevent pneumonia and other complications. Typically patients go home the next day.

“Removing cancer this way is just as effective as having traditional surgery,” says Dr. Gong. “But patients tend to have less pain and recover faster.”

Most patients with kidney cancer can be treated with minimally invasive surgery, although it depends on tumor size, location and other conditions. Even entire kidneys can be removed laparoscopically.

To schedule an appointment with a Cleveland Clinic urologist call 216.444.5600. Cleveland Clinic offers same-day appointments.

Michael Gong, MD, PhD