Retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyelolithotomy: how, does it compare with percutaneous nephrolithotomy for larger stones?

Our 10-year experience of retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyelolithotomy, a ra rely performed minimally invasive operative procedure, is presented., The r esults are compared with our own experience of percutaneous nephrolithotomy for larger renal stones. Forty-two patients with a mean age of 39.12 years underwent 43 retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyelolithotomies using Gaur's ba lloon technique. The total number of stones was 65 (44 pelvic and 21 calyce al) and they ranged in size between 5 and 48 mm. Two patients had chronic r enal failure due to bilateral impacted renal calculi. Forty-eight percutane ous nephrolithotomies performed in the same unit during the last 2 years in patients with non-staghorn calculi > 2 cm were included for a comparative study. The open conversion rate and the drainage period for retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyelolithotomy were much higher. However, the operative time, blood loss, analgesic intake, hospital stay, residual stone rate, re-treat ment rate and major complication rates were lower, compared with percutaneo us nephrolithotomy.