Percutaneous lithotripsy of staghorn calculi

Eleven cases of staghorn calculi managed by percutaneous lithotripsy were reviewed. Ten of 11 cases were successful, and 70% of the successfully treated patients were discharged free of any renal stones. The percentage of patients discharged with residual stone fragments was higher than those with either percutaneously managed nondendritic calculi or surgically treated staghorn calculi. The complication rate was higher than for nonbranched stones managed percutaneously and was comparable to that for surgically removed dendritic calculi. Hospital stay averaged 18 days, equal to that for staghorn calculi treated by conventional surgical approach, but considerably longer than for nonbranched stones. Overall results more closely approximated those for surgical removal of staghorn calculi than those for percutaneous removal of nonbranched calculi. However, the principal advantage of percutaneous lithotripsy of staghorn calculi over surgical management is the significant reduction in convalescence after discharge from the hospital.