Hi Maite and thank you for your post.

I am sorry to learn that you require  a partial nephrectomy via robotic surgery. I can appreciate your concerns and wanting to know more.

It is true that you may experience some pain in your shoulders for a few days after the operation. This sensation is a result of the gas used to inflate the abdomen during laparoscopic surgery, allowing for improved visibility for the surgeon. The gas can exert pressure on the diaphragm, which in turn irritates the nerve that extends to the shoulder, leading to the experienced shoulder pain.

 You should still have the ability to use your arm for daily activities, including washing and brushing your hair.  In fact gentle exercising and mobilising will help disperse the gas. Your hospital team may give you advice or information on which exercises you can do post-surgery.

You may also experience some pain and discomfort around the scars, especially in the first week after the surgery. Your hospital team will prescribe pain relief for you to take home. If you do experience pain that does not go away following pain relieving medication, you should  contact your GP, or hospital specialist.

Our webpage on after kidney cancer surgery explains  what you might expect following your surgery. You may also find it helpful to read coping and support when you have kidney cancer.

Your hospital specialist may provide patient information leaflets regarding recovery after kidney surgery. If you have not yet undergone a pre-operative assessment, it is likely that you will have an appointment before your surgery to address any questions you may have.

I hope you find this information helpful and that your surgery goes well.

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards

Tina

Hi Tina and thank you for the reassurance. What I've been reading is that I "cannot raise my arm above my head", not that it simply might be painful to do so. I have a high pain threshhold so just to have pain doesn't faze me. I am wondering if I will have a different experience this time from last time. Two years ago, I went in for a hysterectomy for endometrial cancer. There was no guidance at all from my hospital team...I asked for a physio to chat with me but was told that there wasn't one. I was expecting painful shoulders that time, as it was laparoscopic, but I didn't get any shoulder pain. I got a little bit of soreness and itchiness around my keyhole scars, which I managed by massaging them and applying E45 cream. I had very bad wind for the first day or two after surgery, which they gave me peppermint oil in warm water for and that worked really well. I don't like taking medications so generally manage only on paracetamol and self-help such as the massaging. So far I have had no advice at all from anyone on what exercises to do post-kidney surgery - for my hysterectomy it was the same, and I only learned what to do by reading online and sharing on a forum. I feel less informed this time - it seemed that half the world had had a hysterectomy, yet hardly any people seem to have undergone kidney surgery by comparison so I don't really know what to expect this time. I have read that I cannot drive until I can do an emergency stop, but this was the same for my hysterectomy and I could do an emergency stop within about 4 days of surgery yet was told not to drive for at least two weeks. I don't really understand what might prevent me from doing an emergency stop. My pre-op is five days before my surgery. Last time, I had lots of questions but the nursing team doing the pre-op said they were not the people to be able to answer my questions. Hopefully the team and the department this time will be more helpful. I have been told that a Bosniak 4 is about 85-90% chance of it being sinister and in the two years since they spotted it when scanning my womb, I have had regular scans and it hasn't changed or grown at all. However, I feel I have just been very lucky with that, and going by my other cancer experience (I have never had any health issues in over 60 years, until that, so it came as a big shock) I am not under any illusions I might be lucky enough to be in the 10-15% safe range. So now, before it does start to change or grow, seems the best time to take the plunge and have it removed whilst still small. I have tested with the highest possible kidney function in my age range, so at least am starting from a high point as regards how much I am at risk of losing. 

Hello Maite and thank you for getting back to us,

The articles seem to suggest that individuals are unable to raise their arms above their heads due to the pain it may induce, rather than any mechanical limitations resulting from the surgery.

Since you mentioned that you have a high pain threshold, this may not pose a significant issue for you.

At your pre operative assessment you will be given the chance to ask questions.

If there are any questions that the pre operative nurses are unable to answer then they can contact your specialist team on your behalf.

I hope this gives more clarity to your question.

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards

Tina

Hi Tina, 

Thank you for replying. That's very reassuring. I am not afraid of pain as long as I know where it is coming from, and normally manage pain by non-medical means where possible. Thank you for clarifying that there is unlikely to be a physical limitation stopping me from lifting my arm, as this was one of the fears I had. I didn't get any pain after my total hysterectomy, other than slight soreness and later itchiness around my keyhole wounds, which was more annoying than actual pain, and problems with pain from wind which again was more disturbing than actual pain, as it distracted me when I was trying to read. I didn't understand why I was told I couldn't drive until I could do an emergency stop, as I sat in my car without driving, about 5 days after surgery, and could go through all the pedal motions easily, but they still told me two weeks. I'm slightly more wary this time as the surgery site is higher in my body (kidney) and I'm worried that if I twist or bend, even if it's not painful for me to do so, whether I will be at risk of damaging the internal surgical site that I cannot see. So I will probably hold off the driving for as long as I possibly can, whilst stocking up the fridge and freezer beforehand as I am five miles from the nearest shops.