Percutaneous removal of renal calculi

Percutaneous removal of symptomatic renal and ureteral calculi evolved in the early 1980s, replacing standard surgical stone removal operations because of reduced patient morbidity and shortened hospitalizations. A wide variety of instruments designed to work through the percutaneous track are available to remove or fragment nearly all renal calculi. Success rates of this modality are excellent, and major complications are few. Despite the wide applications of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy, percutaneous stone removal methods will continue to be needed in some patients.