Doctors in UAE remove kidney that swelled 5 times its size inside patient's body

Abu Dhabi - The Emirati patient, Awad Hamad Salem, was suffering from hydronephrosis, a medical condition that causes swelling in the kidneys.

A non-functioning kidney of a 58-year-old patient that had swelled to five times its normal size was removed through a laparoscopy procedure at a private hospital in Abu Dhabi. The rare and complicated procedure was completed in seven hours.

The Emirati patient, Awad Hamad Salem, was suffering from hydronephrosis, a medical condition that causes swelling in the kidneys.

Salem had been suffering from various illnesses such as recurring fever, renal colic, and hypertension for over two years.

At Burjeel Hospital, doctors found out that his left kidney had stopped functioning. A CT scan revealed that the swollen organ measured 27.9cm x 14.1cm x 10.8cm.

Salem was discharged seven hours after the surgery.

According to Prof. Dr Essam Riad, consultant urologist at the hospital, surgical removal of the non-functioning left kidney was the only solution to relieve the patient of the pain. “There was a chance of septicemia (poisoning of the blood) as well,” said Dr. Riad, who opted for laparoscopic surgery to remove the kidney.

Normally, kidneys are removed through conventional surgery by cutting through the muscles and removing the ribs — making a deep incision of about 30cm. A laparoscopic procedure involves removal by making three 2cm incisions.

“It would have taken over three weeks for the patient to recover if we had followed the conventional practice. But in this case, the patient was discharged on the same day and had fully recovered in three days,” said Dr. Raid.

After the surgery, a relieved Salem said: “Recurring fever and frequent hospitalisation had been very tiring and distressing. I feel grateful and happy now.”

saman@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi