nephrectomy
surgery
Quick Summary
A nephrectomy is the surgical removal of a kidney. This procedure may be necessary if a kidney is severely damaged by trauma, such as a rupture, or if it cannot be saved due to extensive bleeding. In cases of severe urinary obstruction leading to hydronephrosis, where the kidney swells and its tissue atrophies, a nephrectomy might be considered if minimal renal substance remains. The surgery can also be performed if a kidney is wounded and the bleeding cannot be stopped.12
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