Feasibility of Simultaneous Bilateral Endoscopic Surgery in Prone Split-Leg Position for Bilateral Upper Urinary Tract Calculi: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Introduction: We explored the viability of simultaneous bilateral endoscopic surgery (SBES) in the prone split-leg position for managing bilateral calculi. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 72 patients who underwent SBES, with procedures involving ureteroscopy (URS) and contralateral percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) simultaneously, in prone split-leg position. Results: Operative times averaged 109.38 ± 30.76 min, with an average hospital stay of 7.79 ± 3.78 days. The bilateral stone-free rate (SFR) was 70.83%, while URS and PNL demonstrated comparable unilateral SFR (83.33% and 79.17%, respectively). Receiver operating characteristics curves for predicting unilateral residual fragments yielded an area under the curve of 0.84 (URS) and 0.81 (PNL) with respective cutoff values of stone diameter of 11.55 mm and 23.52 mm. Fifty-seven (79.17%) and 15 (20.83%) patients encountered grade 0–1/2 complications, with no severe complications (grade 3–5) recorded. No significant changes in blood count or renal function were observed post-SBES. Conclusions: SBES in the prone split-leg position is a viable option for managing bilateral upper tract urolithiasis. Larger scale studies are needed to further assess safety and efficacy in various positions.