post RCC surgery recovery assessment

solo99

This is going to sound stupid - but can someone tell me how they can assess if the partial nephrectomy site inside is healing?  Is there any imaging that can show the healing?  

1 1/2 month post surgery - and the follow up appointment is only in 6 months for a repeat CT after a post partial nephrectomy for a stage 3 contained RCC.  

I hope it is not based on the pain a person feels.  

 

 

Mike99

Healing Progress

I am sure it is not based on Pain. I am sure they will do a CT Scan and evaluate the progress of your healing. I just had my Left Kidney removed this past Thursday and my pain is being managed but I still feel it. I am sure I am healing properly or I would have been back in the hospital by now. Take care of yourself and don't overdo it. You may feel great one day but remember you are still healing inside. God Bless and Good Luck

todd121

Healing of partial

I think this is a great question, but one that you need to ask your doctor. You want a complete answer. They do usually do a followup CT 2 months or so after the surgery to get a new baseline since you will have scarring from the surgery. Things change inside after a surgery, and they need a baseline going forward.

One of the big risks with partials is leaking. You want to find out how they know for sure it healed up fully and isn't leaking.

I'd ask your doctor. Make an appointment or get in touch with him and ask him.

Todd

HH431

todd121 said:

Healing of partial

I think this is a great question, but one that you need to ask your doctor. You want a complete answer. They do usually do a followup CT 2 months or so after the surgery to get a new baseline since you will have scarring from the surgery. Things change inside after a surgery, and they need a baseline going forward.

One of the big risks with partials is leaking. You want to find out how they know for sure it healed up fully and isn't leaking.

I'd ask your doctor. Make an appointment or get in touch with him and ask him.

Todd

By far the biggest chance of

To my knowledge....

By far the biggest chance of a leak with the partial is within the first 24 hours (or even less) right after surgery.  Once you are released, you should be in the clear.  I had my partial last week and that is what I was told.  This is why they keep you bedridden the rest of the day of the surgery after a partial and on catheter monitoring everything with kidney drain, blood work, etc.  You get no water to drink just in case they have to put you back into surgery and insert a urinal stent, etc. Lying in bed also gives the kidney a better chance to start healing versus moving around right away.  Once you get through that period, you should be safe.  The kidney drain is a big indicator and how much coming out, etc.  In some cases, they will allow you to go home with the kidney drain (later to be removed by doctor) if there is still some leakage as the body will naturally heal the leak (assuming not major) with the stitching inserted during the surgery, but this is more rare.

My partial was very complex so my surgeon actually monitored my kidney for an hour while still inside of me after the remodeling/stitching of the kidney just to ensure everything looked good.  

I had zero pain in that area until the last couple of days (my partial was last Tuesday), but my general doctor who I spoke to today said it's probably just the area healing, etc.  Kind of like the incisions feeling a bit tighter now, etc.  I also have lower back issues which probably don't help me.  There's plenty of muscle involvement and healing too.  My abs in general were very sore the first few days like I did 1000 crunches.

Footstomper

HH431 said:

By far the biggest chance of

To my knowledge....

By far the biggest chance of a leak with the partial is within the first 24 hours (or even less) right after surgery.  Once you are released, you should be in the clear.  I had my partial last week and that is what I was told.  This is why they keep you bedridden the rest of the day of the surgery after a partial and on catheter monitoring everything with kidney drain, blood work, etc.  You get no water to drink just in case they have to put you back into surgery and insert a urinal stent, etc. Lying in bed also gives the kidney a better chance to start healing versus moving around right away.  Once you get through that period, you should be safe.  The kidney drain is a big indicator and how much coming out, etc.  In some cases, they will allow you to go home with the kidney drain (later to be removed by doctor) if there is still some leakage as the body will naturally heal the leak (assuming not major) with the stitching inserted during the surgery, but this is more rare.

My partial was very complex so my surgeon actually monitored my kidney for an hour while still inside of me after the remodeling/stitching of the kidney just to ensure everything looked good.  

I had zero pain in that area until the last couple of days (my partial was last Tuesday), but my general doctor who I spoke to today said it's probably just the area healing, etc.  Kind of like the incisions feeling a bit tighter now, etc.  I also have lower back issues which probably don't help me.  There's plenty of muscle involvement and healing too.  My abs in general were very sore the first few days like I did 1000 crunches.

For a while

You are going to hurt. And then you are going to get better. From reading the comments on here I see no real pattern. I think you do what you can do and when you cant, you stop. 2 years post surgery I walk 2 or 3 miles a day and that seems plenty to me. On the other hand there are other people running marathons.

todd121

HH431 said:

By far the biggest chance of

To my knowledge....

By far the biggest chance of a leak with the partial is within the first 24 hours (or even less) right after surgery.  Once you are released, you should be in the clear.  I had my partial last week and that is what I was told.  This is why they keep you bedridden the rest of the day of the surgery after a partial and on catheter monitoring everything with kidney drain, blood work, etc.  You get no water to drink just in case they have to put you back into surgery and insert a urinal stent, etc. Lying in bed also gives the kidney a better chance to start healing versus moving around right away.  Once you get through that period, you should be safe.  The kidney drain is a big indicator and how much coming out, etc.  In some cases, they will allow you to go home with the kidney drain (later to be removed by doctor) if there is still some leakage as the body will naturally heal the leak (assuming not major) with the stitching inserted during the surgery, but this is more rare.

My partial was very complex so my surgeon actually monitored my kidney for an hour while still inside of me after the remodeling/stitching of the kidney just to ensure everything looked good.  

I had zero pain in that area until the last couple of days (my partial was last Tuesday), but my general doctor who I spoke to today said it's probably just the area healing, etc.  Kind of like the incisions feeling a bit tighter now, etc.  I also have lower back issues which probably don't help me.  There's plenty of muscle involvement and healing too.  My abs in general were very sore the first few days like I did 1000 crunches.

Leaking partial

I didn't do much research on partials, because I had to have a radical.

That being said, I have an aquaintance I see often at my RCC support group, and he had leaking of his partial for months and had trouble getting his doctor to address it. They put a drain in and kept hoping it would heal, but it didn't. He ended up having to see another specialist to get it fixed (he ended up losing his kidney after all).

I don't know how common these problems are, but it would be worth asking the doctor what his success rate is with partials, and also what it is across other doctors. They should know this and should answer the question. I have heard that leaks are the highest risk with partials.

Todd

HH431

Todd, What sort of things

Todd,

What sort of things was he seeing and feeling with the leak?

HH431

Talked to a doctor from the

Talked to a doctor from the hosptial about signs of a urine leak...

The biggest risk is the first couple of days...but sometimes up to a month it can happen.

If the collecting system was involved in the surgery, that is a higher risk (found out mine was not involved).

Pressure and/or a warm feeling where your JP drain was at could be a sign...as would be leakage.

Also, if you don't seem to be urinating properly can be a sign.

Hope this helps.