caregiver95,

Thanks for your question.

A lot depends on why the kidney is being removed.  If the person has a diseased kidney which is causing problems, then these problems may prolong his recovery somewhat.  If the person is otherwise healthy and is donating his/her kidney to someone else, the situation is less complicated.  The actual removal of the kidney would take about 1 - 2 hours.  The initial post-operative period would require 3 - 5 days in the hospital.  Full recovery from the surgery would require 4 - 6 weeks.  These are all rough estimates and would vary depending on an individual's course. 

Hope this has been helpful.

Martin Cane, M.D.