[Percutaneous chemolitholysis of cystine stone]

Although cystine stone accounts for only 1-3% of renal calculi, many of the pure cystine stones usually can not be fragmented by ESWL and the residuals after PCNL is quite common. Percutaneous dissolution alone or combined with ESWL and PCNL could successfully dissolve these stones including all the residuals. This paper reported seven patients (8 pieces of renal and 2 pieces of ureteral stones) with cystine calculi in whom percutaneous renal irrigation or per-ureteral catheter irrigation with tromethamine-E (THAM-E) were performed for a relatively short period of time. All the stones disappeared completely or near completely. The authors recommend that percutaneous irrigation alone (including irrigation with ureteral catheter) or combined with PCNL and ESWL are the method of choice in the treatment of pure cystine stone of the kidney.