Contemporary role of multi-tract percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the treatment of complex renal calculi.

Complex renal calculi remain to be a challenge for the treating urologist due to sheer bulk and the technicalities involved. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) remains the treatment modality of choice in dealing with these large and complex stones. The limiting factor in their treatment continues to be the need for using additional tracts or the use of flexible nephroscopy for complete stone clearance. This systematic review focuses on the need for multi-tract PCNL for complex renal calculi. The literature review was performed using PubMed database using the keywords "multiple tract PCNL" or "multiperc". We identified original articles published on the usage of multiple tracts for stone clearance in renal calculi between January 2000 to October 2018, and the search was restricted to available literature in English language only. Ten studies with >20 were included for the final analysis. We analyzed the technical efficacy with respect to the number of tracts and stages that were required for stone clearance, outcomes and complications, especially, procedural bleeding and post-procedure infective complications of multiple-tract PCNL for large burden renal stones. Multiperc is found to be safe, feasible and effective for the management of large burden complex renal calculi with respect to stone clearance and morbidity associated with the procedure. It is cost effective and complete stone clearance as a single procedure is higher in comparison to flexible ureteroscopy and shockwave lithotripsy.