New Procedure To Eliminate Scarring in Pediatric Kidney Surgeries

An urologist from UT Southwestern Medical Center has developed a new "hidden" minimally invasive procedure that makes scarring virtually invisible yet is just as effective as more common surgical methods.

"Currently used incisions, even with minimally invasive surgery, leave the child with up to three scars that are visible any time the abdomen is exposed. The new technique of hidden incision endoscopic surgery (HIdES) eliminates visible scarring," said Dr. Patricio Gargollo, assistant professor of urology at UT Southwestern and author of a study in a recent issue of the Journal of Urology.

Kidney Stones in children - Can Children Get Kidney Stones?
Increase in salt concentration in the urine results in precipitation of crystals and these lead to formation of kidney stones. Drinking a lot of water can prevent kidney stones.

He reports using the procedure for a dozen kidney surgery cases between April and July 2010 with no complications, but believes it has broader applications.

"I envision that this could be used for any upper abdominal procedure that needs to be done laparoscopically, and I currently perform all upper abdominal and some pelvic surgery with this technique," said Dr. Gargollo, who is also director of pediatric urology minimally invasive and robotic surgery at Children's Medical Center of Dallas.

HIdES was named the Best New Technique Award at the International Robotic Urology Symposium in 2010.

Ureteroscopy - Overview
Ureteroscopy is an endoscopic procedure that clears stones from the ureter or the kidney.

Minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy are often used in kidney surgeries. They leave much less scarring than open surgery, which requires a large incision across the patient's abdomen. But laparoscopic surgery, in which a tiny camera inserted through a small incision acts as the surgeon's "eyes," still leaves noticeable scars, Dr. Gargollo said.

In addition to its cosmetic benefits, the HIdES technique offers surgeons greater technical flexibility than laparoscopic surgery because it uses multiple surgical ports for robotic-assisted surgical equipment and a camera. These ports are hidden below the bikini line, making them invisible if the patient is wearing a bathing suit.

Anatomy of Urinary System
Animation & slides showing anatomy of urinary system and the role of kidneys in getting rid of the waste products and excess fluid from our body to keep us healthy.

Patients old enough to answer a survey, including older teenagers, and parents of younger children showed greater satisfaction with the HIdES incision scars than those generated by laparoscopic and open surgery, the study reported.

Source-Eurekalert

Quiz on Kidney
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, and are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of your spine.

Healthy kidneys filter about half a cup of blood every minute, removing wastes and extra water to make urine. The urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through two thin tubes of muscle called ureters, one on each side of your bladder. The bladder stores urine. The kidneys, ureters, and bladder are partof the urinary tract.

kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from your body. Kidneys also remove acid that is produced by the cells of your body and maintain a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals-such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium-in your blood ().

Without this balance, nerves, muscles, and other tissues in the body may not work normally.

Kidneys also make hormones that help

Control your blood pressure
Make red blood cells
Keep your bones strong and healthy