Percutaneous renal access: a simplified approach

To present a simplified surgical technique to access the kidney percutaneously with low exposure to radiation.

This percutaneous approach to the kidney "creates" a plane of coincidence between the C-arm beam axis and the needle axis. Both axes always have the same angle running in opposite directions with the predetermined calix located in the medial vertical plane at 0 degrees. Twenty-one percutaneous access tracts were made into the lower calix and 7 into the middle and upper calices. The 3-dimensional position of the inserted needle was determined.

All tracts were successfully accomplished. Statistical analysis of 28 procedures revealed that the technique is reproducible. The coefficient of variation of the angle determining the entrance position of the needle was low, which indicated that the procedure is reproducible and easy to teach.

The technique is safe, easy to perform, reproducible, and requires less radiation than other methods.