[Standarization of PCNL reporting: Comparative methodology.]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Nephrology
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is a key procedure for renal lithiasis.
• Standardized classification systems are needed to compare PCNL outcomes across different studies.
• The Ibarluzea-Llanes classification was proposed to categorize stone complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Ibarluzea-Llanes renal lithiasis classification on stone-free rates after PCNL.
• To assess the utility of this new classification system for standardizing PCNL outcome reporting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing PCNL between November 2011 and November 2016.
• Stones classified as simple, complex, or extremely complex using the Ibarluzea-Llanes criteria.
• Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with stone-free rates.

Main Results:

• Sixty-nine procedures in 57 patients were analyzed.
• Stone-free rates at three months and one year were 86% (simple), 75% (complex), and 55% (extremely complex).
• Stone complexity, as defined by the Ibarluzea-Llanes classification, was significantly associated with a worse stone-free rate (p=0.03).

Conclusions:

• The Ibarluzea-Llanes classification effectively stratifies patients based on stone complexity.
• This classification system demonstrates potential for standardizing PCNL outcomes reporting.
• Adoption of this classification could improve comparability of PCNL results in the literature.