Spanish hospital successfully removes a kidney through umbilicus

MADRID, March 12 (Chinese media) -- A medical team from the

Spanish Hospital Clinico of Barcelona successfully removed a kidney through the

umbilicus of a 85-year-old patient with renal cancer, local press said Thursday

in the framework of the World Kidney Day.

The patient had the surgery on Feb. 17, and three

days later she was sent home with no symptoms, local media said.

The medical team headed by doctor Antonio Alcaraz,

chief of urology service, said this new technique has many advantages 每 it does

not leave scars, while recovering time will also be halved.

He said "the small cut made uses the natural folds of

the umbilicus scars to hide it".

There is no risk of hemorrhages in this procedure,

since not so many vascular parts lie in this area, and the pain is minimized,

Alcaraz added.

The operation is an important advance in laparoscopy

surgery --it discovers that the umbilicus orifice is a unique access to remove

affected organs such as prostate, uterus, ovaries and cysts.