Upper urinary tract calculi: extrusion into perinephric and periureteric tissues during percutaneous management

While the goal of percutaneous management of renal and ureteral calculi is stone extraction or disintegration, perforation of the renal pelvis or ureter may allow stones or stone fragments to become extruded during endourologic manipulations. The authors have encountered six such patients: two with renal and four with ureteral calculi. Three stones were extruded into the perinephric or periureteric tissues during nephroscopy, two during attempted dislodgement with a balloon catheter, and one during antegrade passage of a ureteral catheter. All patients were managed conservatively by means of nephrostomy drainage and, in the four cases of ureteral laceration, ureteral stenting. Follow-up study, ranging from 12 to 24 months, has documented a benign clinical and radiological course. No ureteral strictures have ensued. In the absence of infected urine, urothelial laceration with calculus extrusion appears to be a benign occurrence and may be managed conservatively.