Percutaneous nephrostomy in conjunction with ESWL in treatment of nephrolithiasis

The use of percutaneous nephrostomies (PCNs) in 1456 patients (1660 kidneys) treated with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was evaluated. In this group, 138 PCNs (130 patients) were performed in 133 kidneys. Forty-seven percent of PCNs were placed in patients with staghorn calculi; 24% were for stones in the renal pelvis, and 20% for ureteral stones. The most common indication for PCN was fever and obstruction (57%). In 15%, the indications were failure to decompress an obstructed system from a retrograde direction, clogged double-J ureteral stents, and perforation of the ureter. Prophylactic PCN placement in the treatment of staghorn calculi and large stones in the renal pelvis accounted for 12%. Five percent were placed for miscellaneous other reasons, and for 11% there was no documentation of the indication because they were placed before the patients came to our center. Localization of the collecting system for optimal placement of PCN is unique in ESWL patients because the residual stone fragments provide natural contrast. This eliminates the need for administration of contrast material in 50% of the patients. Twenty-six percent of PCN tracts were subsequently used for other procedures (e.g., percutaneous nephrolithotomy, fragment irrigation, ureteral stone manipulation). Bleeding complications from PCN occurred in 7%. Other minor complications occurred in 12% of cases. PCN is a useful adjuvant to ESWL treatment of kidney stones. Although its major use is to relieve urinary tract obstruction, it is also used as a preliminary step in planning other percutaneous interventional procedures. This is particularly the case in the treatment of large bulky stones in the renal pelvis and staghorn calculi.