Which surgical procedure is used to fix a descended kidney?

Which surgical procedure is used to fix a descended kidney?

• A. Pyeloplasty
• B. Nephropexy
• C. Nephrectomy
• D. Ureteroscopy

Answer: (B)

Fixing a descended kidney is done by nephropexy, a procedure that secures the kidney in its normal position to prevent it from moving downward when standing. This condition, known as nephroptosis or a floating kidney, causes pain or discomfort because the kidney remains mobile rather than fixed in place. Nephropexy achieves stability by attaching the kidney to surrounding structures, such as the abdominal wall or nearby fascia, sometimes using a reservoir of tissue like the psoas fascia, and it can be done open, laparoscopically, or with robotic techniques. Other procedures don’t address the kidney’s position. Pyeloplasty is used to repair the drainage junction between the kidney and the ureter when there’s obstruction at that point. Nephrectomy removes the kidney entirely, which is not about correcting its height or mobility. Ureteroscopy is an endoscopic examination and treatment of the ureter, often for stones or strictures, not fixation of a descended kidney. So, the operation that directly fixes a descended kidney is nephropexy.

Fixing a descended kidney is done by nephropexy, a procedure that secures the kidney in its normal position to prevent it from moving downward when standing. This condition, known as nephroptosis or a floating kidney, causes pain or discomfort because the kidney remains mobile rather than fixed in place. Nephropexy achieves stability by attaching the kidney to surrounding structures, such as the abdominal wall or nearby fascia, sometimes using a reservoir of tissue like the psoas fascia, and it can be done open, laparoscopically, or with robotic techniques.

Other procedures don’t address the kidney’s position. Pyeloplasty is used to repair the drainage junction between the kidney and the ureter when there’s obstruction at that point. Nephrectomy removes the kidney entirely, which is not about correcting its height or mobility. Ureteroscopy is an endoscopic examination and treatment of the ureter, often for stones or strictures, not fixation of a descended kidney.

So, the operation that directly fixes a descended kidney is nephropexy.