Percutaneous nephrolithotomy versus open surgery for the treatment of unilateral staghorn stone, Erbil province

Abstract

Background and objective: Staghorn stones are large branching stones that completely or partially occupy the renal pelvis and renal calyces. The developments in the urological field have decreased the role of open surgery (OS) and currently percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is considered as the gold standard procedure for the management of staghorn stone. This study aimed to determine the outcomes of open surgery and percutaneous nephrolithotomy for the treatment of unilateral staghorn stone. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 76 patients with unilateral staghorn stone who had been treated with either percutaneous nephrolithotomy (57) or open surgery (19). A comparison was made between the mentioned groups (PCNL vs. OS). Results: The differences between the two groups were not significant in term of preoperative characteristics. In addition, there was no significant difference between the two groups for intraoperative, postoperative complications and the rate of stone clearance (P = 0.447, P = 0.180, P = 0.259 respectively). The means of postoperative hospital stay (days) and recovery time (weeks) were significantly lower in the PCNL than OS (P <0.001). However, the mean operative time was significantly less in the OS group (P = 0.018). Conclusion: The PCNL is a very efficient treatment option for staghorn stones. However, the open surgery still has a role in the treatment of kidney stones (especially staghorn stone).