Pediatric Urolithiasis in a Rural Tertiary Care Setting: Surgical Strategies and Outcomes.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Pediatric Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• Pediatric urolithiasis is a growing global health concern, especially in developing countries.
• There is a lack of data on surgical management and outcomes for pediatric kidney stones in rural India.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the demographics, clinical features, surgical interventions, and outcomes of pediatric urolithiasis patients treated at a rural North Indian tertiary care center.
• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of surgical procedures for pediatric kidney stones in a resource-limited setting.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective observational study of 46 pediatric patients (≤18 years) who underwent surgery for urolithiasis between January 2017 and December 2024.
• Systematic analysis of demographic data, stone characteristics, surgical procedures (including Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy - PCNL), complications, and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• The study population consisted mainly of adolescent males (76.1%) from rural backgrounds, with renal calculi being the most common type (60.9%).
• Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) was the most frequent procedure (45.7%), achieving a high overall stone-free rate (95.7%) with minimal major complications.
• The average hospital stay was 6.8 days, and no stone recurrence was noted at a median follow-up of 90 days.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric urolithiasis in rural India disproportionately affects adolescent males, with renal stones being the most common diagnosis.
• Advanced surgical techniques like PCNL are effective and safe for treating pediatric urolithiasis in resource-limited environments.
• The findings highlight the need for enhanced preventive strategies and healthcare accessibility for pediatric kidney stone disease in rural populations.