Nephrectomy: indications, complications and mortality in 154 consecutive patients

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Surgical Oncology
• Nephrology

Background:

• Conventional nephrectomy is a significant surgical procedure.
• Understanding its indications and complications is crucial for patient care.
• Data from teaching hospitals in developing countries like Pakistan offer unique insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the primary reasons for performing conventional nephrectomies.
• To analyze the post-operative complications and mortality rates associated with nephrectomy.
• To characterize the patient demographics and disease patterns in a Pakistani teaching hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for patients undergoing nephrectomy between January 2001 and December 2005.
• Categorization of indications into benign and malignant conditions.
• Analysis of clinical presentation, histopathology, post-operative complications, and mortality.

Main Results:

• 154 nephrectomies were performed; 76.6% for benign and 23% for malignant conditions.
• Renal stones were the leading indication for benign nephrectomy (53.3%).
• Malignant nephrectomies (renal cell carcinoma) occurred in younger patients (mean age 52.8 vs. 32 years), with higher complication rates (13.8% vs. 7.6%).

Conclusions:

• Benign conditions, particularly renal stones, are the major indications for nephrectomy in this Pakistani cohort.
• Malignant renal tumors impact a significantly younger demographic compared to Western populations.
• While malignant nephrectomies have higher complication rates, overall 30-day mortality is comparable to benign cases.