A kidney cyst is a pocket of fluid pouching out of the kidney. Cystic enlargement of the kidney can cause abdominal discomfort, pain and sometimes high blood pressure. For a kidney cyst that is large enough to cause you pain and abdominal discomfort, three minimally invasive treatment options are available at the Minimally Invasive Urology Institute.
RIRS is the treatment of choice when the cyst can be reached from the draining portion of the kidney basin. A small telescope goes through the natural opening of the body, into the ureter and up into the kidney. A cut is made with a laser, and the cyst is opened into the draining system. A small tube (stent) is left in the ureter for about two weeks to allow proper healing. RIRS is an outpatient procedure. The stent is removed in the office.
Percutaneous kidney surgery is done for large cysts in the back of the kidney. This is a minimally invasive method that allows the surgeon to do endoscopic surgery within the kidney using a small tract. A tract is an opening created by a small incision through the skin and tissues directly into the kidney. A sleeve is placed into the kidney, bridging the distance from the skin. The doctor performs the surgery by guiding endoscopic instruments through the sleeve into the kidney. Under X-ray control, the cyst is opened, and a large portion of the wall is removed. This procedure usually requires an overnight stay in the hospital.
Laparoscopy and cyst removal is the treatment of choice for most patients with numerous or very large cysts. The laparoscopic approach is best for removing a large number of cysts and for those with a condition called adult polycystic kidney disease (APCKD). In this procedure, three little incisions are made into the abdomen so that small surgical instruments can enter the abdomen and the kidney. This is usually an outpatient procedure; however, when many cysts have to be removed from both kidneys at the same time, it may require an overnight hospital stay.
The Minimally Invasive Urology Institute specializes in treating patients who have had failed previous treatment attempts, patients with very large stones, patients with strictures and patients with tumors. Children and patients with bleeding disorders or gross obesity are also treated at the Institute.
When a kidney does not work and needs to be removed, minimally invasive surgery with laparoscopy is available for you at the Minimally Invasive Urology Institute.
Three little incisions are made into the abdomen to allow small surgical instruments to enter the abdomen. The kidney is freed inside the abdomen and removed through one of the incisions in the skin. This procedure usually requires an overnight stay in the hospital.
