Technique and follow-up of percutaneous management of caliceal diverticula

Between June 1985 and July 1992 we treated 20 patients who had symptomatic caliceal diverticula (13 in upper calix, 6 in middle calix, and 1 in lower calix) in whom long-term (3 months to 3 years) evaluation of persistent symptoms, physical condition, and radiologic findings was possible. Of the 20 patients, 19 had had stones in the diverticulum preoperatively, and the other had a huge diverticulum but no stones. Eighteen patients (95%) with stones preoperatively had been rendered stone free, and the other patient demonstrated only small residual stones in the area of the obliterated diverticulum. Sixteen patients (80%) had obtained complete resolution of their diverticula, and the remaining 4 had at least a 50 percent diminution of the original size of the lesion. All patients had been rendered free of infection and symptoms. Percutaneous management of caliceal diverticula is the most effective approach to rendering patients with caliceal diverticula stone free and achieving diverticular ablation.