Special Kidney Procedure Available at Corning Hospital

Sayre, PA – An innovative way to treat kidney disease surgically with minimal morbidity is now available at Corning Hospital. Called hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy, the minimally-invasive procedure is performed to remove a kidney diseased due to cancer or other renal problems. Robert Douenias, MD, Guthrie urologist, trained in the procedure at Duke University in North Carolina under David Albala, MD, professor of urology. Corning Hospital OR staff also trained with the proctoring professor. Dr. Douenias, assisted by Guthrie surgeon Burt Cagir, MD, has already completed six cases, with several more scheduled in the near future.

The procedure involves a laparoscopic incision for instruments and a videocamera, as well as another incision to accommodate the surgeon’s hand in the body cavity. Using his hand, the surgeon is able to complete the procedure more quickly as compared to a purely laparoscopic approach. The surgeon actually supports the kidney inside the abdomen during the procedure, which allows him to feel internal structures better, causing less trauma, fewer complications and generally ensuring a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery with less pain. The traditional kidney removal procedure, called open nephrectomy, involves a long abdominal or flank incision that heals slowly and can be very painful.

A similar type of laparoscopic nephrectomy is also available at Robert Packer Hospital.