DiVinci Surgery- partial

jbryant
jbryant Member Posts: 6
edited March 2014 in Kidney Cancer #1
I had a right partial kidney removal using the DiVinci robotic equipment on Jan 20th. It reduced recovery time. My question is-

The margins did not come out clear. The doctor said that he nicked the top of the tumor and then "back out the blade". He said that this caused the path report to come back margins unclear. It sounds to me that he dragged cancer cells back into the kidney.

I'm getting a second opinion from on Oncologist. But has anyone heard of this?

Comments

  • VeryAnxious
    VeryAnxious Member Posts: 67
    DaVinci Surgery partial
    No to your comment. I am awaiting this surgey about 2 weeks. Did you ask him if this is usual> Seeing someone else would be a good idea. I was under the impression that this surgery was fairly precise
  • Stward
    Stward Member Posts: 12

    DaVinci Surgery partial
    No to your comment. I am awaiting this surgey about 2 weeks. Did you ask him if this is usual> Seeing someone else would be a good idea. I was under the impression that this surgery was fairly precise

    If the margins aren't clear,
    If the margins aren't clear, I don't think all of the cancer cells were removed. There has to be a clear margin. I definitely would get a second opinion.
  • rscott12345
    rscott12345 Member Posts: 6
    I had da Vinci partial
    I had da Vinci partial nephrectomy in June 2008 and think it sounds like your surgeon may not have had enough experience to do the operation. But unclear margins means that not enough of the kidney was removed around the tumor to get a margin of kidney tissue with no cancer cells. I would pursue a new surgeon and get a new opinion on how to deal with this setback!