8^th World Kidney Congress

Surgery for Renal Disease

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that play a vital role in life. The kidneys are behind the abdominal organs and below the rib cage on either side of the spine. The kidneys have a number of important roles. Filtration of the blood to remove waste products from regular bodily functions, sending the trash out of the body through urine, and returning water and chemicals to the body as needed. Several hormones are released to control blood pressure. The hormone erythropoietin is released to stimulate the synthesis of red blood cells. Urine is produced by the kidneys and transferred to the bladder through the ureters. The bladder is a storage facility for pee. Urine is produced when the body detects that the bladder is full.