Panama's CSS uses robotic surgery to save 89-year-old's kidney

Panama's Social Security Fund (CSS) has successfully employed robotic surgery to treat an 89-year-old patient diagnosed with kidney cancer, preserving the affected organ through a minimally invasive technique. The procedure involved a laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, where a robotic system precisely removed only the tumor.

Dr. Elías Bodden, head of Urology and coordinator of Robotic Surgery at the City of Health, emphasized the technique's goal: to avoid complete kidney removal. "The idea is not to remove the entire kidney, but to excise only the part affected by the tumor and preserve as many nephrons as possible to maintain adequate kidney function," he explained.

This advanced approach offers significant benefits, including reduced bleeding during surgery, less postoperative pain, decreased analgesic use, and a faster patient recovery. The CSS highlighted that incorporating such cutting-edge technologies is part of its strategy to provide safer and more precise treatments for complex diseases.

The CSS is actively expanding its robotic surgery program. Currently available at the City of Health and in Chiriquí province, the institution announced plans to introduce a third robotic system in Chitré soon. This expansion aims to broaden access to specialized interventions for more patients across the country.

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The idea is not to remove the entire kidney, but to excise only the part affected by the tumor and preserve as many nephrons as possible to maintain adequate kidney function.