rare complications after open nephrectomy

I have dealt with this for 15 years. It was explained to me that the weakest muscles in our body are external and internal oblique muscles. When these muscles are cut, they don't repair well. In addition, when one organ in the body is removed, often the intestine will invade that space. So with no muscle support from the external and internal oblique muscles and the intestine pushing against those weak walls causes the protrusion that is most uncomfortable or painful. Being obese makes it worse and you have to eat smaller portions. Having two bowl movements per day helps too. There is no surgical procedure to fix this problem.

I donated my right kidney in Sept. 1990. Last November I had strained my abdomen while ridding a horse. It was painful and shortly after I started noticing a bulging on my right side below my rib cage. The bulge has gotten to the size of a large grapefruit but elongated it is painful and also causes me to have spasms in my back. I had a CT scan in May and the surgeon said it was not a hernia but a weakening of the muscle. He said there is no repair for it. It just seems to me that I had no trouble for 24 years then all the sudden I have this huge bulge. I just don't see how it is not a hernia. I have been scheduled for an intercostal nerve block to help with the pain but that is not going to fix the bulge. I do wear a wide lumbar support belt that is wide enough to support the bulge when doing things that put a strain on me but just walking can make it bulge out and get very painful. I have also had many abdominal surgeries. I had 3 hernias on my large gallbladder scar. they have been fixed and so far so good with them. It looks like others have had this happen but it seems it has only been a a few years after surgery. It just worries me that mine was so long ago and now I have all these problems and it can't be fixed.

I have dealt with this issue since 26th May 2000. No one could ever help me. I went on a diet in 2009 and lost 15kg and my bulge looked worse with the weight loss. Its like being pregnant on my right side. My stomach is completely numb where the lump is. I have learnt to live with it and when I am feeling sorry for my self I think of the alternatives of not having the radical nephrectomy and then I soon perk up. Thank God we are all here and well and an old bulge is the only side effect. Mine hurts now and again and nothing that a lie down and an ibuprofen 600 cant sort out. So here I am alive and well and looking forward to my daughetr´s wedding where I have to find an outfit that minimises the look of my lump!! I am so thrilled that me and my lump are here to be at her wedding. On your first day of disgnosis if you were told you would definitely live but you would have a bulge..............you would have taken it. I know its unsightly but you are here. You are alive you and your lump and learn to live with it. Its not who you are its a battle scar making you the survivor you are. I am delighted to hear there are other people out there who have the same thing. Maybe we should be swopping survival tips, pain relief tips, and clothes we have found useful to hide our "bump". Should we start a support group and support each other??

I am living with the same problem. Large incisional hernia post nephrectomy left flank. Also seen by many surgeons no one will repair due to my previous MRSA & blood clots. Good luck

I also have a bulge on my right side where I had a cancerous kidney removed on March 17th of this year. I was home on the 18th and recovered well but the lump is still there. The doctors seem a little vague about what is causing it. It does not look good but I too will take it over cancer!

I am interested to know what you found to help you. I too have denervation of the left oblique muscle. Happened after my left kidney was removed. On your post it says ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** web addresses not allowed***. So I was unable to find your full post.

Linda, how are you doing? My husband had a partial nephrectomy of his left kidney because of cancer and is left with a huge bulge on left side( incision was on left side). His doctor doesn't seem in a hurry to operate. His surgery was 3 1/2 months ago. He is wearing a support belt which helps and keep the bulge in. We don't know where to go from there.

I can echo most of you all. After a partial nephrectomy on my right side I have a football or larger lump on my side. Meeting with a surgeon he concluded he could take out the dead muscle, pull the good muscle together, but in his 20yrs of experience it probably wouldn't work. Plus, he said it would be very major surgery......with a long recovery.

I have minor scar tissue discomfort from time to time, but not real pain. Mine is mostly cosmetic and I really hate it. But I'd need better ensurance that a procedure will work before I'm willing to try it.

I appreciate reading this. I've had my large side lump for 4 years now and some days I'm very bitter about it. I also have been told by a surgeon that there is no guarantee and that I could end up living with chronic nerve pain afterward. Every once in a while I think about having the hernia repair surgery regardless because I hate this deformity! There are so many people that have nephrectomies and who don't end up with the bulge, so it really saddens me that I'm one of the 7% that ends up with this. I wear abdominal support 24/7 and it sucks. Anyhow, so reading your post was encouraging in that I know that repairing the hideous thing isn't really much of an option.

I had an open partial nephrectomy 3 1/2 months ago. It was on my left side. Turned out it was for a benign tumor. I have a 10 inch scar. I Have been concerned about the huge cantaloupe size bulge on my side. I had a CT scan after 3 months and it showed fluid around my partial kidney. The surgeon said this is normal and he could have left some fluid there? Why didn't it drain out that tube sticking out me after the surgery? Does anyone know if fluid around a kidney is normal?
Anyway it is still hot, swollen and is 2" bigger by evening. When I exercise it can tighten up like Braxton hicks contractions I had when I was pregnant. The muscles feel strong and hard. My surgeon suggests I have low muscle tone? MY surgeon did now tell me what to expect at all after surgery. .He said maybe a 1" or smaller bulge. Reading everyone's comments let me know to stock up on loose baggy tops. I was hoping this would go away soon. It does disappear into my side when the swelling is one top, but when I lay on the incision side it feels like a large rock is in me. Sometimes I feel pocked by pins. I am thankful for this website and glad I accidentally found it.

Wow four years? I know how your feel, I hate the bulge too. It is a drag. I don't like wearing the abdominal support, it is hot. I was not expecting this either.

I have had this same problem for almost 9 years. In February of 2009 my right kidney was removed along with a huge benign tumor. The tumor had also grown around my inferior vena cava and they put a 5-6 inch repair splice there. While still in the hospital, I developed pancreatitis and strained against my incision.

A month later, during a follow up, I showed the surgeon the beginnings of a bulge about the size of a baseball. He said it was a pocket of water and is common when such a large void is left after surgery. Then dismissed me to the care of a nephrologist.

It has grown to the size of a cantaloupe only one doctor cared enough to order a ct scan. It showed that most of my intestines are inside this buldge with only a thin muscle wall around the edges.

No one I have seen, several general doctors have looked at it and said they wouldn’t do surgery because of my being type ll diabetic, overweight and last surgery had several units of blood. The blood loss was from the surgeon cutting the vena cava without knowing it for 3 hrs while looking for the source of the bleeding.

I am 65 as of next week and I would love to have this repaired. I have given up at this point.

What surprises me is how often this happens and most of the doctors I have seen have never seen this or even heard of this problem as a result of a nephrectomy.

If anyone still follows this thread and has discovered anything new, please contact me.

I had a partial nephrectomy nine weeks ago, got a staph infection and had second operation to insert stent, i came home with catheter, stent and drainage bag, i still have daily nurse visits to empty and measure bag contents, and see surgeon weekly I have had the swelling since first op and like you can only sleep on one side, it is large and still some pain and drainage from incision site, surgeon stated muscle laxity for both swelling and pain, surgeon is trying to avoid another op to remove what is left of kidney, However I am not sure if it could be a hernia.

I am also 65 in 12 days

Dec 16, 2019 I had two large cysts removed from my left kidney. Lots of swellng on my left side that is now about the size of a baseball, 4 months post op. Lots of pain. Intense pain, burning sensation weeks after surgery. Could only stand for about 8 minutes at a time. As soon as I would lay down, pain subsided. Pain not as bad now but I can't lift or stand for long periods of time. I did take gabapentin and it stopped the pain but the medication makes me batshit crazy. Feels like I have done 100 sit ups in a short amount of time. Also feel discomfort when I sit...wish there was a way to fix this