SIMULTANEOUS BILATERAL PERCUTANEOUS NEPHROLITHOTOMY

Purpose: We evaluate the results of simultaneous bilateral percutaneou s nephrolithotomy. Materials and Methods: The charts of 52 patients sc heduled for simultaneous bilateral percutaneous nephrolithotomy at the Methodist Hospital of Indiana were retrospectively reviewed. The resu lts of the 48 patients who underwent the procedure were tabulated and analyzed. Results: Mean operative time was 269 minutes and mean hospit al stay was 5.6 days. Of the patients 45 were rendered stone-free (96. 9% of 96 renal units) and 3 had insignificant debris (fragments less t han 4 mm.) unilaterally. Complications were infrequent and included hy drothorax in 5 cases, ureteral obstruction by fragment migration in 2, hematuria causing clot retention in 2, blood transfusion in 2 and ure teral perforation with a guide wire in 1. Conclusions: Simultaneous bi lateral percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a well tolerated, safe, cost-e ffective and expeditious approach to patients with bilateral renal cal culi requiring percutaneous nephrolithotomy.