A giant renal calculus treated without nephrectomy

The case of a patient with a giant renal calculus weighing 770 g in a solit ary functioning kidney is reported. A 57-year-old man presented with right lumbar pain and macroscopic hematuria, and a giant stone was diagnosed in h is right kidney. Nine days after a percutaneous nephrostomy placement, the patient underwent selective right renal angiography and transcatheter super selective embolization due to a sudden gross hematuria observed from both t he nephrostomy tube and urethra. Embolization was successful. Right anatrop hic nephrolithotomy was performed after stabilization of the patient. There were no complications during the recovery period. The case reported here i s significant not only because it is the 7th biggest and the heaviest stone in the literature but also because it is the first giant stone reported to be in a solitary functioning kidney and treated without nephrectomy. Copyr ight (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.