What is kidney ablation?

Kidney ablation. It’s a funky term, to say the least. And while you may have heard it before or know someone who has undergone this procedure, chances are you don’t really understand what it entails.

That’s where I come in.

In this article, we’ll delve into all things kidney ablation – from its definition and types to why someone might choose it over other treatment options (if they’re not a masochist)and potential risks involved. Get ready for some serious kidney talk!

So What Exactly is Kidney Ablation?

At its core, kidney ablation is essentially destroying part of your kidneys for medical reasons through various means such as heat or cold waves (as opposed to trying your luck with an axe).

Now before you start panicking about losing an organ altogether fear not! The good news is that only a portion of your kidneys will be destroyed during this process.

So why would someone ever decide to chop up their own organs? Well…

Why Would Someone Get Their Kidneys Zapped?

Great question my curious friends! There are actually many reasons why one might choose this more invasive procedure over less extreme alternatives:

1. Treating Cancer

One common reason lies within treating cancerous tumors within the kidney(s). By obliterating said tumors through targeted procedures like radiofrequency or cryoablation, patients can avoid having to remove the entire organ via surgery (let out sighs of relief)

Tip: If given the opportunity between zapping away at a tumor vs removing an entire organ choose option one….you get to keep more organs.
2. Managing Blood Pressure

Some people suffer from severe high blood pressure even on medication which puts them at risk for developing heart disease and stroke.With very few treatment options available,zapping parts of said unwieldy kidneys could be the way to go for these patients.

3. Chronic Kidney Disease

For those who suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD), their symptoms can hinder many aspects of daily life.This includes high blood pressure, fatigue and all around lousy feeling.A licensed medical practitioner may recommend ablation if they feel it would offer improvements in quality of life.

Now some may be thinking, “Yeah, yeah this all sounds great but what’s the downside? There must be some risks involved…”

And THEY WOULD BE CORRECT

Risks Involved with Kidney Ablation (Insert ominous music)

Any time you mess with your body, there are going to be potential complications.

Short-Term Risks

  • Infection at operation site
  • Bleeding or fluid collection within the affected kidney tissues
  • Decreased urine output after procedure.

Long-Term Risks

I’ll admit that things start sounding pretty sketchy here so take a deep breath.

  1. Recurrence of Cancer: While ablation provides an effective method for dealing with cancerous tumors,(and allows one to bypass more invasive surgery) there is still a chance that it could reoccur even years later post-procedure.You’ll just have to trust me on this one

  2. Organ Damage:While we’ve established that only partial organ obliteration occurs during ablation.There is always room for human error when running electricity through something as delicate as a human (or animal) organ.This increases risk of irreversible damage.Have fun sleeping tonight!

3.Blood Clot Formation forming in vein(s)

Not exactly Rosy eh?

Types of Kidney Ablation (Let’s lighten things up!)

Okay! Let’s talk about different types. If hoping not learn actual techniques and much prefer informal methods – read on insouciant amigo !

Type of Kidney Ablation The Deets
Radiofrequency ablation electrical currents zapping the tumor
Cryoablation for kidney tumors freezing it with liquid nitrogen.

Thank you table.

So What Can One Expect Post Procedure?

Now that all of your potentially worst case scenarios have been touched on, let’s talk about what will happen after someone undergoes this intense procedure.

Short-term

  • Mild to moderate pain or discomfort that can be healed through over-the-counter pain medication

Long-term

Expect to go back and check in with a licensed medical professional regularly who will monitor how well (or not) things are holding up.They’ll also probably want scans performed at different intervals following the procedure just to see if everything is working okay!

So Is Kidney Ablation Right For You?

In theory? Possibly!
Keep in mind that it’s always best to consult a trusted medical pro before making any body-altering decisions (except maybe changing hair color-we’ve got some trust issues there).If considering as an option keep risks involved and little known“fun facts” of organ damage firmly planted in mind!

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