Purpose: To determine the effect of Sanjin Paishi decoction (SJPSD) combined with lithotripsy on the improvement of clinical symptoms and renal function in nephrolithiasis patients.
 Methods: A total of 100 patients with nephrolithiasis, who were treated in the outpatient department of the Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China from January 2019 to October 2021, were retrospectively analyzed and enrolled in the study. They were divided into control group (CG, n = 40) treated with holmium laser lithotripsy through flexible ureteroscope, and a study group (OG, n = 60) treated with SJPSD after holmium laser lithotripsy through flexible ureteroscope. Treatment effect and improvement in renal function indices (serum creatinine (Scr), cystatin C (CysC) and urinary N-acetyl-β-D glucosaminidase (NAG)), were compared. Postoperative clinical efficacy, time of disappearance of hematuria, postoperative extubation time, of hospital stay, Traditional Chinesemedicine (TCM) symptom score, and the incidence of complications were evaluated.
 Results: After treatment, OG showed significantly downregulated Scr, CysC, and NAG compared with CG, but the total clinical effectiveness was significantly higher than that of CG (p < 0.05). Kidney stone clearance rate of OG was higher than that of CG at 4 weeks post-operation (p < 0.05). The time of disappearance of postoperative hematuria, postoperative extubation time, and hospitalization time ofOG was shorter than those of CG, while TCM symptom scores were lower than those in CG (p < 0.05).
 Conclusion: The combination of SJPSD and holmium laser lithotripsy in the management of patients with renal calculi results in improvement in clinical efficacy, reduction in TCM symptom scores, and speed-up postoperative recovery, without increase in the incidence of complications. Prospective studies and long-term follow-up are anticipated in the future. Furthermore, established animal or in vitro models are required to determine the specific mechanism of action.