Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 1, 2026
In Vivo, Percutaneous, Needle Based, Optical Coherence Tomography of Renal Masses
Published on: March 30, 2015
Comparison between percutaneous nephrolithotomy and flexible ureteroscopy for the treatment of 2 and 3cm renal
Á A Fernández Alcalde1, M Ruiz Hernández1, V Gómez Dos Santos1
1Departamento de Urología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España.
Context And Objectives:
The first-line treatment for >2cm lithiasis is percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), leaving flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) as a second option. In the present review, the stone-free rate and the complications of both techniques were evaluated in the treatment of 2-3cm stones.
Material And Methods:
Systematic review of studies that compared both techniques. Studies that were not comparative, as well as those carried out in the pediatric population or with <2cm or>3cm stones, were excluded. Two researchers independently performed the investigation, obtaining 5 studies that made up a total of 815 patients: 252 belonged to the fURS group and 563 to the PNL group. Four studies were retrospective, and one was non-randomized prospective.
Results:
Stone-free rate ranged between 47.0% and 95.0% for the fURS and between 87.0% and 100% for the PNL. The complication rate was 8.8-29.0% in the fURS and 11.9-27.0% in the PNL. fURS required a greater number of procedures, and had a lower decrease in haemoglobin and creatinine rise compared to PNL.
Conclusions:
The stone-free rate was higher for PNL, although the fURS could reach comparable results at the expense of performing several procedures. Both techniques have a similar frequency of complications, but the PNL has more postsurgical analytical alterations.
Related Concept Videos
01:08Renal Drug Clearance: Comparison Between Renal Excretion Methods
Renal clearance is often associated with the renal glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which represents the rate at which plasma is filtered through the glomeruli in the kidney. When drug reabsorption is minimal and there is no active secretion, renal clearance is closely related to the...
02:57The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
01:17Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Renal Impairment
One condition associated with renal failure is uremia. Uremia is characterized by impaired glomerular filtration and fluid accumulation in the body. This condition hinders the renal clearance of drugs, resulting in drug accumulation and potential...
01:13Multiple Comparison Tests
It would be easy to compare two samples using a significance alpha level of 0.05. In other words, there is only one sample pair to be compared. However, it would be difficult to identify a significantly different sample if the number...
01:20Renal Corpuscle
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous...
01:23Renal Clearance
Renal clearance refers to the volume of plasma cleared of a specific substance, such as creatinine, per unit of time. To measure clearance, urine samples are collected over a 24-hour period during each bladder voiding, followed by a single blood sample at the...