Purpose: To compare the morbidity of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) requiring multiple percutaneous tracts with that of procedures requiring a single tract for calculus clearance.
Patients and Methods: Data from 20 patients undergoing PCNL through two or more percutaneous renal tracts over a 1-year period were compared with a contemporary cohort of 20 patients undergoing PCNL requiring a single tract. The mean stone size was 2157 mm2
v 423 mm2 (P < 0.0001), the baseline serum creatinine concentration was 1.67 mg/dL v 1.13 mg/dL (P < 0.05), and the baseline hemoglobin concentration was 11.8 g/dL v 13.4 g/dL (P < 0.05) in the multiple- and single-tract groups, respectively.
Results: All single-tract and 95% of multiple-tract patients were rendered stone free. The mean drop in hemoglobin was similar in the two groups (2.3 g/dL for single tract v 2.1 g/dL for multiple tracts; P = 0.55). Complications occurred in two patients in each group. Four multiple-tract patients required blood transfusion. The need for transfusion correlated with lower preoperative hemoglobin and higher preoperative serum creatinine. There was a significant rise in serum creatinine (1.67 mg/dL to 1.91 mg/dL; P < 0.05) and drop in creatinine clearance (76.9 mL/min to 67.2 mL/min; P < 0.05) in the multiple-tract group; this was more pronounced in patients with existing renal insufficiency. No significant change in renal function was seen in the single-tract group.
Conclusions: Monotherapy with PCNL utilizing multiple percutaneous tracts is highly effective in the treatment of staghorn and other large-volume renal calculi. Blood loss and complication rates with such an aggressive approach are comparable to those of PCNL incorporating a single percutaneous tract for more straightforward calculi.
