Kidney surgery is perhaps one of the most drastic surgeries that you can undergo, as it always involves the removal of one of your most vital organs. While you do have a second kidney to replace the functions of the first, you should be aware before you go into any kidney surgery that what you are doing so may put your life at risk in the future should your spare kidney begin to lose some of its functionality. However, in most cases, due to the medical emergencies which bring about the need for removal of the kidney (often called nephrectomy) leave you with a choice between living without your kidney or facing eminent death.

Most commonly a person will need to undergo kidney surgery if there is something wrong with the kidney. Potential problems can include anything from loss of function to intense trauma which can lead to the kidney spilling its contents into your body and poisoning you from the inside. Other common reasons for the surgical removal of your kidney can include: birth defects which may have greatly damaged the kidneys, serious and untreatable infection of the kidney that could spread to the rest of the body if left unchecked, hypertension, diabetes that had been out of control for too long, kidney tumors that could not be removed, or chronic bleeding from the kidneys.

Even though many people have one of their kidneys removed because they have to due to some medical emergency, there are quite a few people who opt for nephrectomy because they feel they are doing a good service to others. These are the people who donate their kidney to those who are in need of a spare. The surgical procedure of any kidney surgery is exactly the same, although one surgery is designed to save the life of the person whom the kidney is being removed from while the other's intent is to save the life of another.

Kidney surgery is not a cure all for everyone. There is always the chance of rejection by the host body, although the drugs available today can help keep this sort of risk to a minimum. Still, having the surgery carries the same sort of risks that any invasive procedure carries, and that must be weighed against all the other risks as well. Listen closely to what your doctor tells you about the surgery and what you can reasonably expect to happen.