Comparison of the outcomes of complete supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with radiopaque and radiolucent kidney stones.

OBJECTIVE

This study compared the stone opacity effect in patients who had radiopaque and radiolucent stones in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) results.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The medical records of 171 complete supine PCNL procedures were gathered. Patients were categorized into two groups: those with radiopaque (n=141) and those with radiolucent (n=30) stones. Kidney, ureter and bladder x-ray was done a day after PCNL and Ultrasound imaging was done two weeks later to evaluate the stone free rate. A stone free result was defined as having less than 4 mm residual stone size. Outcome parameters were compared by univariate analysis and those which were significantly different between the two groups were assessed by multivariate binary logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, pre-surgery hemoglobin, pre-surgery serum creatinine, stone and also surgery-related parameters between the two groups. Stone free rate, surgery time, complication-related parameters, hemoglobin drop, serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) changes were similar in both groups based on univariate analysis. The radiopaque group had higher post-surgery GFR (p=0.04) and longer hospital stay (p=0.009). However, opacity had no effect on these outcomes after multivariate analysis. Higher post-surgery GFR was seen in patient with higher GFR before surgery (p<0.0001). Also, higher hemoglobin before surgery was correlated with less hospital stay (p=0.001).

CONCLUSION

The complete supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy outcomes are similar in patients with radiopaque and radiolucent stones.