One Patient’s Story

Tom Wilson lives in San Diego, works as a senior manager for the Postal Service and enjoys a mountain hike and vacation now and then. He also is alive and doing well because of urological procedures – including minimally invasive surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center – to treat his kidney cancer and stones.

Tom Wilson is working and thriving again after a rapid recovery from kidney operations at UC Irvine.

After traditional open surgery at another institution to remove a kidney, called radical nephrectomy, he suffered complications that resulted in a blocked intestine. Then in 2005 Tom was diagnosed with a kidney stone, a cyst and a solid mass on his remaining kidney. He sought out care elsewhere so that he could be treated by the best minimally invasive surgeons in the country. His physicians told him to come to UC Irvine’s Department of Urology.

Dr. Ralph Clayman performed three minimally invasive procedures to remove the stone and cyst and to cut out the solid mass while leaving healthy kidney tissue intact – all requiring expert laparoscopic surgical skills that saved Tom’s single remaining kidney. Today, Tom is a walking testament to the latest advancements to treat these disorders. On his left side is a 14-inch incision, made to remove his cancerous kidney. On his right side are four tiny scars from the procedures at UC Irvine. Tom believes he owes his life to all the surgeries, but credits UC Irvine’s surgeons with allowing him to recover faster. He’s now working, living, and even providing guidance for his fellow employees who have cancer.