Kidney Blockage Surgery
Procedure overview

Learn more about what robotic assisted surgery is and how surgeons use the technology here.
Ureteral Obstruction – Salimas story
Humber River Hospital Foundation, March 2021
Hospital surgeons go where no surgeon has gone before
St Michaels Hospital, March 2008
Potential Benefits
- Potential benefits compared to open surgery for pediatric patients:
- Shorter length of stay [5,6]
- Less need for narcotic pain medicine [5,6]
- Minimal Scarring
- Potential benefits compared to traditional laparoscopy for pediatric and adult patients:
- Shorter length of stay [6,7,8]
Additional Patient Resources
Visit the the Canadian Urology Association for more informational about the disease, diagnosis, treatment options and support available.
Educational Videos
Dr. Marshall Wingo of Roper St. Francis (US) describes how surgeons can use robotic-assisted surgery to help correct kidney blockages. [US Content]
Risks & Considerations
Not everyone is a candidate for robotic assisted procedures, and other treatment options may be available and appropriate. Only a doctor can determine whether robotic assisted surgery is appropriate for a patient’s situation. Surgery of any form contains risks and it is important to discuss risks with your provider. Patients and doctors should review all available information on both non-surgical and surgical options in order to make an informed decision.
Patients have also developed support areas where they are able to speak with each other about the surgery, their experiences, and any issues that they have faced during their treatment. To learn more check out the additional resources above or visit the community section of this website.
[1] Cleveland Clinic: Https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16545-pyeloplasty
[2] Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16596-ureteropelvic-junction-obstruction
[3] https://www.brighamandwomens.org/surgery/urology/robotic-surgery-procedures/robotic-pyeloplasty
[4] https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/u/ureteropelvic-junction-(upj)-obstruction#:~:text=Open%20Surgery,and%20the%20risk%20of%20infection.
[5] D. Bansal, et al. Infant robotic pyeloplasty: Comparison with an open cohort. Journal of Pediatric Urology (2014) 10, 380e385.
[6] Cundy T, et al. Meta-analysis of robotic-assisted vs conventional laparoscopic and open pyeloplasty in children. BJU International, 2014; doi:10.1111/bju.12683
[7] Hemal AK, et al. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty versus robotic pyeloplasty ureteropelvic junction obstruction: a series of 60 cases performed by a single surgeon. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20156381\o The Canadian journal of Urology. Can J Urol. 2010 Feb;17(1):5012-6.
[8] Wang F, et al. Robot-assisted versus laparoscopic pyeloplasty for patients withureteropelvic junction obstruction: An updated systematic review and metaanalysis. Scandinavian Journal of Urology, doi:10.3109/21681805.2013.780184.