Urology Expert Discusses Severe Internal Bleeding Following Robotic Kidney Surgery

Case Overview

This case involves a middle-aged male who underwent a robotic procedure to remove one of his kidneys. The surgeon reported the surgery to be uneventful, and the patient was noted to tolerate the procedure well. The patient was transported to the PACU. While there, the anesthesiologist noted the patient was unable to move both lower extremities, and that he appeared to be very pale. The patient was hypotensive after a few hours in the PACU, and the patient was brought to the ICU. After he continued to deteriorate in the ICU, the patient was taken back to the operating room with a diagnosis of intra-abdominal bleed. The surgeon noted that there were large amounts of blood within the abdomen. The surgeon performed a splenectomy but injured one of the patient’s major arteries in the process, requiring a vascular surgeon to come repair it. The patient survived, but required an extensive hospital stay and suffered permanent injuries from his ordeal.