Legendary physicist Albert Einstein is credited with the sentiment that everything should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler. Sometimes this can be a fine line.

Recently, an article in Kootenai Health magazine regarding robotic kidney surgery offered an oversimplified view of the procedure and providers offering this surgery in our community. The following facts provide a more comprehensive view of the care available for kidney surgery in our community.

Since 2009 when Kootenai Health began offering robotic surgery, many more physicians are using this important new technology for a broader variety of procedures, including kidney surgery. For some patients the robotic approach can decrease blood loss and length of hospital stay.

Four physicians in Kootenai County perform kidney surgery using the daVinci robot at Kootenai Health. They are Randil Clark, M.D., Edward Ellison, M.D., Matt McLaughlin, D.O., and Chad Peterson, M.D. All of these physicians work at North Idaho Urology. All are skilled surgeons and perform a variety of procedures using both traditional techniques and surgical robotics.

When it comes to kidney surgery, partial nephrectomy (a procedure that removes part of a patient's kidney, rather than the entire structure), has been around since the mid-1990s. By sparing as much of the kidney as possible, the other kidney does not have to work as hard - something that becomes more important as we age.

"There has been an evolution with surgeons doing more kidney-sparing procedures over the past 20 years," Dr. Clark said. "North Idaho Urology has been doing these procedures for a long time. Surgical robotics has not changed the number of partial nephrectomies performed. This newer approach simply allows us to perform the procedure less invasively."

Any time a patient needs surgery, including kidney surgery, many factors must be taken into consideration to identify the best surgical method. These include the patient's health, as well as the type, size and location of the tumor. Every patient and situation is unique, and for some patients, robotic surgery is not the best course of treatment.

Whether you are facing kidney surgery or any medical procedure, it is important that you find a physician who will take the time to listen and understand your unique health issues and concerns. He or she will recommend the course of treatment that is right for you.

For more information on North Idaho Urology, visit them online at niurology.com, or call (208) 667-0621.