Tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy: spinal versus general anesthesia

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is effective for large kidney calculi.
• General anesthesia is commonly used for tubeless PCNL.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of spinal anesthesia versus general anesthesia in patients undergoing tubeless PCNL.
• To compare outcomes including analgesic requirements and complications.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study of 46 patients undergoing tubeless PCNL.
• 26 patients received spinal anesthesia (group 1), and 20 received general anesthesia (group 2).
• Groups were compared on demographics, stone size, operative time, hospital stay, and complications.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in demographics, stone size, operative time, or hospital stay.
• Analgesic requirement was significantly lower in the spinal anesthesia group (53 ± 39 mg) compared to the general anesthesia group (111 ± 46 mg).

Conclusions:

• Tubeless PCNL under spinal anesthesia is a viable alternative to general anesthesia.
• Spinal anesthesia reduces postoperative analgesic needs in patients undergoing tubeless PCNL.