Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery

Experts in our Minimally Invasive Surgery Program specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the kidney, bladder and other organs in the abdominal cavity, known as the retroperitoneum. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing the best surgical care for children, teens and young adults with quick appointment scheduling that helps lead to faster recoveries.

What is minimally invasive surgery?

Minimally invasive surgery helps patients heal faster after surgery with less pain and smaller scars than traditional surgery. We offer this technique for children as young as 1 year old.

The experts in our program perform the following minimally invasive surgeries:

Laparoscopic surgery

This surgery involves creating four to six small incisions, which are used to place instruments and cameras into the area of the body that will be operated on. Surgeons use these instruments to perform the surgery.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery

Robotic-assisted surgery allows doctors to perform surgery using a robotic platform. The surgeon places instruments and a camera into the body through multiple small incisions to perform surgery. The instruments are connected to a robotic platform that the surgeon controls. This allows for better control of smaller instruments used for detailed tasks like suturing (stitching) inside of the abdomen.

Why choose Children’s Hospital Colorado for minimally invasive urologic surgery?

The Department of Pediatric Urology at Children's Colorado specializes in providing care to children, teens and young adults – making us experts at caring for kids. Every patient receives individualized services, including treatment plans that offer the leading surgical options available in pediatric urology.

We understand that finding the best treatment option for your child is stressful. That’s why we offer quick appointment scheduling to get you answers fast. At your child’s appointment, we complete all the necessary tests and studies in one day to quickly provide you with the best treatment options.

An entire team of experts caring for your child

Our Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery Program team includes four fellowship-trained, board-certified pediatric urologists. This sub-specialized expertise enables us to provide patients with kid-friendly care and advanced treatments, which help result in a quicker recovery.

Children’s Colorado partners with the University of Colorado to offer the latest technology in minimally invasive surgery to our patients.

Conditions we treat with minimally invasive surgery

• Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction
• Vesicoureteral reflux
• Kidney tumors
• Ureteral obstruction
• Urachal masses or cysts
• Hernias and hydroceles
• Undescended testicles

Minimally invasive operations we offer

Kidney surgeries

• Pyeloplasty: surgery to remove obstruction at the point where urine drains from the kidney to the ureter
• Radical nephrectomy: removal of the whole kidney
• Partial nephrectomy: removal of part of the kidney

Ureter surgeries

• Ureteroureterostomy: surgery to improve drainage of the kidney and ureter in cases of urinary obstruction
• Ureteral reimplant: surgery to correct vesicoureteral (bladder to ureter) reflux

Bladder/bowel surgeries

• Mitrofanoff catheterizable stoma creation: surgical procedure that uses the appendix or small piece of intestine to create a connection from the skin to the bladder to allow easier catheterization
• Malone antegrade continence enema (MACE) creation: surgical procedure that uses the appendix or small piece of intestine to create a tube through which an enema is given
• Excision of prostatic utricle: removal of a cyst that can form behind the prostate in boys and cause infection or incontinence

Urachal surgery

• Urachal remnant excision: removal of the urachus, which is a remnant structure where the bladder drained via the belly button while a fetus was in utero

Testicular surgeries

• Orchiopexy: surgery to repair an undescended testicle
• Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection: removal of lymph nodes in the abdomen where testicular cancer drains

Groin surgery

• Hernia and hydrocele repair: repair of a persistent opening between the abdominal cavity and scrotum that may allow fluid or bowel to go from the abdomen into the scrotum

Research and clinical trials to advance minimally invasive urology surgery

The minimally invasive specialists at Children’s Colorado actively participate in research about conditions managed with minimally invasive urologic surgery. We are dedicated to improving outcomes for our patients and finding new ways to improve the patient experience. 

Review our latest research on minimally invasive surgery.

Contact us

Phone: 720-777-3926
Fax: 720-777-7370
urology.urology@childrenscolorado.org