A randomized comparison of tubeless and standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy

We present a randomized study of tubeless or nephrostomy-free percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), a modification of the standard technique, compared with standard PCNL to evaluate the role of tubeless PCNL in minimizing postoperative discomfort and reducing duration of hospital stay.

Two hundred and two patients undergoing PCNL were randomized to two groups: Group A (standard PCNL) with nephrostomy tube placement postoperatively, and group B (tubeless PCNL) with antegrade placement of a Double-J stent without nephrostomy. Inclusion criteria were: normal renal functions, single tract procedure with complete clearance, and minimal bleeding at completion. The two groups were comparable in age and sex and in metabolic and anatomic features. Factors evaluated included postoperative pain, analgesia requirement, blood loss, postoperative morbidity, hospital stay, and time to recovery.

All patients had an uneventful postoperative recovery. The average visual analogue scale pain score on postoperative day 1 for group A patients was 59 +/- 5.1 compared with 31 +/- 4.8 in group B (P < 0.01). The mean analgesia requirement for group A (meperidine 126.5 +/- 33.3 mg) was significantly more compared with group B (meperidine 81.7 +/- 24.5 mg) (P < 0.01). The difference in average blood loss and urinary infection for the two groups was not statistically significant. The incidence of urinary leakage from the nephrostomy site was significantly less for the tubeless group (0/101), compared with the standard PNL group (7/101). The average hospital stay in the tubeless group (21.8 +/- 3.9 hours) was significantly shorter than that of the standard PCNL group (54.2 +/- 5 hours) (P < 0.01). Tubeless group patients took 5 to 7 days for complete convalescence whereas standard PCNL patients recovered in 8 to 10 days. No long-term sequelae were noticed in the median follow-up period of 18 months in any patient.

Nephrostomy-free or tubeless PCNL reduces postoperative urinary leakage and local pain related to the drainage tube. It also minimizes hospital stay; the majority of patients were discharged from the hospital in fewer than 24 hours.