Nephroscopy sheath characteristics and intrarenal pelvic pressure: Human kidney model

We developed an in vitro human kidney model to study the intrarenal pelvic pressures generated during percutaneous nephroscopy. Higher intrapelvic pre ssures were associated with nephroscopy sheaths of smaller caliber and grea ter length. In addition, the position of the sheath within the kidney marke dly influenced intrapelvic pressure. The results of this study have influen ced our practice and are especially important during eases involving percut aneous removal of infected urinary calculi and transitional-cell carcinoma.