Nephrectomy is the surgical removal of the kidney. When renal cell carcinoma has been found to be the cause of a kidney mass, kidney tumor, or kidney pain surgical removal of the kidney or part of the kidney (partial nephrectomy) is the common course of action. Another minimally invasive procedure, cryotherapy is also used do destroy the kidney cancer.

Nephrectomy may be performed using several techniques which include the traditional open nephrectomy, laparoscopic nephrectomy, and robotic nephrectomy. All of the above procedures are performed under general anesthesia. Our urologists will work with you to choose the method of surgery that is the most appropriate for your situation.

Your kidney surgery may be needed due to complications stemming from a nonfunctioning kidney, renal cell carcinoma, or a congenitally small kidney. Initially kidney problems are discovered when symptoms of the urinary system are brought to the attention of our urologists here at the Ivy League Miami urology center at Mount Sinai hospital.

Renal cell carcinoma symptoms include blood in urine, both microhematuria and gross hematuria. A kidney tumor or kidney mass may be felt with the hand in the back. Kidney pain when touching the flank area may also be an indication of kidney cancer. Symptoms of kidney stones are similar to renal cell carcinoma. It is important to get symptoms such a painful urination, frequent urination, cloudy urine and the above mentioned symptoms diagnosed with our noninvasive procedures such as an ultrasound, MRI, CAT scan, IVP and urine analysis to quickly find out exactly what and where your kidney problem is.

Our staff of world class urologists has been assembled here by the Columbia University Division of Urology in order to bring the leading experts of minimally invasive surgery to south Florida. Our team includes renowned robotics surgeons, cryosurgeons, holistic urologists, and clinical cancer research leaders. The members of our Miami urology staff have trained hundreds of doctors through out the world in the emerging medical practices that are changing the urology standards of care. 

Nephrectomy robotic surgery or the da Vinci nephrectomy is lead by Dr Fernando J Bianco. As the Chief of Robotic Surgery he not only performs the robotic nephrectomy but he also trains other urologists and fellows in the minimally invasive robotic surgery for kidney cancer, prostate cancer (prostate removal with da Vinci prostatectomy) and bladder cancer (cystectomy).