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Patients are generally in the hospital after surgery for 3 to 5 days. The removal of one kidney generally has no health consequences as long as the remaining kidney is functioning well. Some centers are now performing nephrectomies using laparoscopic surgical techniques.
Review Date 4/1/2025
Updated by: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
