1ST MAY 2009 – The traditional open technique for kidney cancer involves a massive cut in the loin extending to the front part of the abdomen. Between 2008 to 2009, a lot of patients in Nepal who operated by traditional technique and they ended up with morbidities or long-term issues arising from a large cut. Long-term pain, requirement for regular medications, need for painkillers, delayed recovery from surgery, blockage of bowel arising out of scarring, frequent visit to primary care physicians and hospitals, reduced mobility and therefore reduced quality of life, not only affected professional activities but also routine daily activities – Just to name a few important ones out of who’s stuff complications arising from long scar.

There were a lot of cost considerations and the technical setup requirement to carry out this surgery in a rural setup. The endoscopic vascular staplers were quite expensive. Keeping all the cost factors of disposable instruments and devices in mind, we chalked out a plan to carry out this procedure by using techniques which are not only cost-effective but also replicable at remote healthcare facilities.

We started this procedure, and the patient’s experience was amazing. The recovery time was only 2-3 days, and the patient was able to go home after 3 days. The smooth recovery undoubtedly exceeded patient’s expectation and healthcare professionals. Please see the video below to learn more. Even though we were located in rural hilly part of the country, we started receiving referrals from various parts of the country after the initial success. We were pleasantly surprised to find that no one has done this operation in the history of the country.