Doctors in Shanghai have successfully saved the only kidney of a patient with renal cancer, sparing him from a lifelong dependence on blood dialysis.

The surgery, believed to be China's first extracorporeal surgery to remove a renal tumor and accompanying intravascular tumor extensions, was performed at the city's Renji Hospital, according to a report of ThePaper.cn, a Shanghai-based media outlet.

Zhang, 70, had his right kidney removed 12 years ago due to renal cancer.

However, he was diagnosed with cancer in his left kidney in June. The tumor had also spread to his renal veins, making it difficult to remove without harming healthy tissue.

After consulting with doctors at several hospitals, Zhang was told that his best option was to remove the kidney and undergo regular blood dialysis for the rest of his life.

However, Zhang refused to accept this fate and sought a second opinion at Renji Hospital. There, doctors decided to attempt a groundbreaking surgery to save his kidney.

The surgery, led by Xue Wei, vice-president of the hospital, involved removing the kidney from Zhang's body, placing it on an operating table, and quickly treating it with a renal preservation solution. The entire process took just 15 minutes.

Doctors then removed the tumor and thrombus tissues before sealing the cut and returning the kidney to Zhang's body.

Two weeks later, Zhang's serum creatinine level, a key indicator of renal function, had returned to a level even better than before the surgery.

The success of the surgery expands the scope of partial nephrectomy, the procedure of removing part of a kidney while leaving healthy tissue intact, according to Huang Jiwei, a physician in the hospital's urology department. He added that this breakthrough offers new hope for patients in similar situations.