Comparison of Tubeless Mini Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy with Conventional Technique in a Tertiary Care Center

Introduction: Mini Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (mPCNL) is a safe and efficient method for management of nephrolithiasis. Post procedure nephrostomy tube drainage is considered as the standard practice. In recent years, tubeless mPCNL with the use of double J (DJ) stent alone has replaced the placement of the nephrostomy tube. Aims: This study intends to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tubeless Mini Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy. Methods: A total of 80 patients with Nephrolithiasis, admitted to Urology Unit of Nepalgunj Medical College, between September 2018 and September 2019 were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups: Tubeless group where tube was omitted and Standard Group where it was placed. The two groups were compared with respect to hemoglobin drop and blood transfusion requirement, hospital stay and analgesic requirement in the post-operative period. Results: Mean age of the patients was 34.30 ± 13.19 years. Mean stone size was 19.03 mm. The mean change in hemoglobin after standard mPCNL was 1.68 gm/dl and that in the tubeless group was 1.11 (p=0.018). The tubeless group had a significantly (p=0.001) shorter hospital stay (3.05 ± 1.23 days) compared to standard group (3.85 ± 0.86). The postoperative pain as assessed by visual analogue scale, was more in the standard group necessitating additional analgesia. It was significantly higher in the standard group at 12, 24, 48 hours, as compared to the tubeless group. Conclusion: Placement of nephrostomy tube can be omitted as a routine practice as Tubeless mini PCNL has an added advantage of significantly reduced postoperative pain, less analgesic requirement, shorter hospital stay, less postoperative blood loss.

Efficacy and safety of 3D printing-assisted percutaneous nephrolithotomy in complex renal calculi

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 3D printing technology combined with percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the treatment of complex renal calculi. Ninety patients with complex renal calculi were randomly divided into a 3D printing group (45 patients) and a control group (45 patients). In the 3D printing group, a patient-specific 1:1 3D printing model was established based on the patient's thin-layer CT scanning data. A 3D printing model was used for preoperative communication between doctors and patients. Preoperative puncture training, channel design, residual stone prediction, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy were performed under the guidance of a 3D printing model and B-ultrasound. The control group was treated with the conventional B-ultrasound-guided puncture method. Results suggest that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). The overall score of the doctor-patient communication objects in the 3D printing group was 19.32 ± 1.57 points, and in the control group, it was 14.51 ± 2.13 points. The operation time of the 3D printing group was 103.21 ± 13.49 min, and that of the control group was 126.12 ± 25.87 min. The calculi clearance rate of the 3D printing group was 96%, while that of the control group was 80%. The incidence of postoperative complications was 6.67% in the 3D printing group and 22.22% in the control group. Compared with traditional percutaneous nephrolithotomy, 3D printing technology combined with percutaneous nephrolithotomy can significantly enhance the effectiveness of doctor–patient communication, shorten operation time, reduce operation bleeding, improve the stone clearance rate, reduce the incidence of complications and shorten the length of hospital stay. The proposed method is thus a safe and effective method to treat complex renal calculi.

Evaluation and comparison of S.T.O.N.E. and Guy’s scoring systems for predicting percutaneous nephrolithotomy outcomes in supine position

Background: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) was applied in the prone position until recently. But also, in recent years supine positions was applied in patients with kidney stones. Predicting how much renal stones can be cleared after surgery and possibility of complications is an important question for both surgeons and patients. Therefore different scoring systems are used to evaluate outcomes of PCNL before surgery. Patients and methods: Between 2018 and 2020, 80 patients with renal stone who underwent PCNL in the supine position were evaluated preoperatively by S.T.O.N.E. and Guy’s scoring systems (GSS). The predictions of both scoring systems for stone-free and complication rates in patients who underwent PCNL in the supine position were evaluated. Also, these scoring systems were compared among themselves for reliability. Result: In both scoring systems, there was a statistically significant difference between postoperative stone-free (SF) and residual stone (RS) of patients and in predicting the likelihood of complications in patients. No statistically significant difference was found between the two scoring systems in predicting the stone-free rate. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that S.T.O.N.E. nephrolithometry and Guy’s score systems can be used effectively to predict stone-free rate, complications, and operation duration in supine position PCNL for renal stones.