Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in India

• It’s the most effective technique for making sure a patient is stone-free.
• It is a better option to a full-scale invasive surgery to treat the kidney
• Allows for removal of large renal stones without undergoing major surgery
• Has a shorter recovery period when compared to the traditional open surgery

• Detailed imaging – enables the surgeon to assess the stone in fine detail hence enabling the surgeon to choose the best access point to facilitate removal of the stones.
• No eating or drinking - You should have nothing to eat or drink six hours prior to the surgery as this interferes with the general anesthesia.
• Mid-stream urine test - required to ensure sterility of the kidney before treatment is undertaken.

Even minimally invasive surgical procedures like the percutaneous nephrolithotomy carry risks. This type of surgery is of low risk if performed by a surgeon trained in the technique. The specific risks of the percutaneous nephrolithotomy are uncommon but include:

• Excessive bleeding
• Renal exploration
• Infection of the wound
• Collecting system perforation
• Urinary tract sepsis
• Adjacent organ injuries such as colon and bladders
• Urinary leak that persists for days
• Death

• The operation is performed under a general anesthetic and lasts approximately 2 to 3 hours.
• The patient is positioned lying on their stomachs for the whole duration of the surgery
• An x-ray imager is used to assist in the surgery to assist in the guidance of the entry tube into the kidney that provides access to the kidney to allow visualization, manipulation, fragmentation and removal of the stones.
• A nephrostomy tube which exits through the skin is left in the kidney at the end of the procedure.