To the kidney through the navel

He operated over 12 thousand. people, transplanted over a thousand kidneys, transforming the Clínic hospital in Barcelona into one of the most modern research centers of urological surgery. Antonio Alcaraz, a scalpel master from Catalonia, tells us about the latest techniques used on the operating table, and advises us on what to do not to end up on it.

(…) La Vanguardia: How should I look after my kidneys?

Antonio Alcaraz: It is worth keeping a slim figure and controlling the pressure so that it is not too high. For this, first of all, you should walk a lot and not overeat.

And drink lots of water, right?

It is enough to replenish fluids regularly throughout the day. There is no need to carry a water bottle with you.

What if, despite all your best efforts, one kidney stops working?

Then the latter will perform the functions of both of them.

What if they both refuse to obey?

You’ll have dialysis and an artificial kidney. But the best solution is a transplant. This is what I do.

How many kidney transplants have you had?

Over a thousand. In Spain, I am a record holder in this respect.

Where do you get your organs from?

They come from the deceased or from living donors. I specialize in kidney transplants taken from living people, and since 2002 I have been performing them using the laparoscopic method.

How does it look like?

We insert tubes into the abdomen: one with a camera, the other with the tools for surgery. We watch everything on the screen. Then I pull the kidney through a seven-centimeter incision.

What are the advantages of this method?

Shorter recovery period after surgery – earlier you had to make a XNUMX-centimeter incision. We are constantly introducing new solutions to improve our methods. Currently, I lead the kidney out of the body through natural pathways.

That is?

Through the navel or through the vagina.

Since when have you been using this method?

In 2007, I performed the world’s first vaginal nephrectomy. It was the case of a woman with kidney cancer. Without surgery, she would have died, and so she lives to this day. I am glad that I can obtain organs from healthy, living people. Now the suffering they are exposed to is less. I give them these seven centimeters of incision, they don’t have any scars, they feel great the day after the surgery, and I get a perfect kidney for transplantation. (…)

How do you lead the kidney through the navel?

Through a four-centimeter incision inside the navel.

Through such a small hole?

The kidney is 12x6x4 centimeters and is a flexible organ with a spongy structure … It is true, however, that we are on the verge of the laws of physics.

Is there any margin left to improve something?

It is always possible and worth being creative. I would like to create a miniature of an artificial kidney and place it in the abdominal cavity. Now I wonder how to lead the kidney in a natural way in the case of men …

How many operations with such natural routes have you already carried out?

We have done 50 of them so far. I am now operating all over Spain and abroad so my colleagues can see what it is.

How many operations have you ever carried out in your life?

About 500 a year for 25 years …

What qualities should a good surgeon have?

Should be able to work under stress. He has to be brave and stay cool under all circumstances. The operation is like a battle and you have to prepare for it in this way – devise a strategy.

Aren’t surgeons a bit sadists?

Once they brought us a boy who was pierced by an iron rod for surgery … But to your question, I will answer: no, it’s a matter of habit.

You still need to have working hands.

You don’t need particularly efficient hands, but rather intelligence that allows you to make the right decision in all circumstances.

Do you remember any of the operations in particular?

Some children’s operations. For example, an operation on a XNUMX-year-old cancer patient who had his bladder excised and later reconstructed from his own intestinal tissue. Today he is an adult and leads a happy life.

How do I care for my bladder?

If you notice blood in your urine, see a doctor immediately. And you can’t smoke.

Smoking causes bladder cancer?

Yes, cigarette toxins have been shown to damage the inner lining of the bladder.

Is something similar happening to the prostate?

This has not been proven. I advise everyone between the ages of 50 and 65 to get cancer screening done. If you develop cancer at this age, I will operate on you and give you a few years to live.

Life as impotent …

No, if you haven’t had erection problems before, I guarantee you that you won’t have any after the surgery either.

Why are you not advising to do your research after the age of 65?

Because even if we did detect cancer at that age, the patient is more likely to die at this age.

How should the prostate be cared for?

You need to protect yourself from abdominal obesity! Stay lean, eat half a serving, and exercise simple.

How about your health, doctor?

Okay, I run marathons. We surgeons are people of action. I also like science and that is why I research the topic of urological cancers.

Finally, why did you become a surgeon?

I dreamed about it since I was a child. Nobody in my family had practiced this profession before, my father was a mechanic.

The Lord is a human body mechanic …

No, surgery is a creative profession, almost an art. Cure someone with your own hands … What could be more beautiful?

Victor M. Amela