ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the variation of renal pelvic pressure during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) via standard nephrostomy tract and explore its influence on renal function. Methods 156 patients with renal calculi were selected for PCNL in standard-tract. The patients were divided into normal, mild hydronephrosis, moderate hydronephrosis groups according to the image by color Doppler ultrasonograph. A transurethral 6F ureteral catheter was inserted into renal pelvis and connected to the pressure monitering system before PCNL. During the operations, all the nephrostomy tracts were dilated to F24 size after successful puncture. Energy used was pneumatic and ultrasound lithotripsy. Renal function of the patients was evaluated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) determined by 99mTc-DTPA dynamic renal imaging before and one week after PCNL. Data were analyzed by SPSS 19.0 software. Results The stone clearance rate was 75.0％ in one-session procedure. Severe complications did not occur during the operation, such as hemorrhage needing nephrectomy and abdominal organ injury or pneumothorax. There were no statistically significant differences between normal and mild hydronephrosis groups for the variation of renal pelvic pressure during preoperative versus intraoperative PCNL (P > 0.05). The renal pelvic pressure was significantly higher during operation than those of preoperation in moderate hydronephrosis group (P < 0.05), and it was greater than those of normal and mild hydronephrosis groups during operation (P < 0.05). Renal pelvic pressure generally remained lower than a level to 30.00 mmHg. There were no significant differences of preoperative and postoperative glomerular filtration rate in all the groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions There were no significant differences on the renal pelvic pressure in normal group and mild hydronephrosis group during operation via standard nephrostomy tract. It should be careful to maintain the lower intrapelvic pressure in order to avoid reflux and infection in moderate hydronephrosis group. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy via standard- tract does not cause significant effects on glomerular filtration rate during the perioperative period of PCNL .