Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy for renal stones in over 1000 patients

Over a period of 5 consecutive years, 1039 renal units were treated by percutaneous nephrolithotripsy for stone disease of the kidney. The success rate was 93.7%. Residual stones remained in 4.2% of patients and in 2.1% we failed to remove the stones. The complication rate was 17.8%. Complications were treated conservatively in most cases but nephrectomy was required on one occasion to control severe bleeding. The average hospital stay was 6.9 days. Follow-up of 339 renal units (333 patients), for a minimum of 60 months, revealed minor late sequelae such as pelviureteric junction obstruction in 1 patient (0.3%) and post-catheterisation strictures of the anterior urethra in 4 (1.2%). Stone recurrence was observed in 9.1% of patients. Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy is an effective, safe treatment for renal stones with minimal late sequelae and is still required even in the era of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.