2-3 days
Hospital stay for laparoscopic nephrectomy
Pain medications are available to help manage immediate post-operative pain, during surgery, a temporary foley catheter will be used to drain urine from your bladder
Abdominal incision sites are closed back together with absorbable stitches that dissolve within 6 weeks
1-3 weeks
Short term
Incisional discomfort and internal pain/soreness
Recommendation: resume driving 2 weeks after surgery
3-4 weeks
Recovery time
Most people go back to work 3-4 weeks after surgery if the job does not involve physical/strenuous activity, or 6-8 weeks after surgery to fully recover
6-8 weeks
Temporary restriction
Avoid heavy exercising/lifting to minimize the risk of hernia
Long term
Certain contact sports or activities such as boxing, skydiving and competitive martial arts are considered high risk for people who have donated a kidney
