Mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (mini-PCNL)

Mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (mini-PCNL) is one of the most effective methods of removing kidney stones. “Percutaneous” is translated from Latin as “percutaneous method”. The term “nephrolithotripsy” means the destruction of a kidney stone. This method allows to remove stones from the urinary tract by crushing and flushing them out using a special apparatus.

Mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy is a modern minimally invasive method of removing kidney stones through a small incision in the skin.

As a rule, this operation can be used if there are contraindications to remote lithotripsy, namely

• lack of qualitative effect from previously performed remote lithotripsy
• the need to eliminate complications after previous interventions
• infected kidney or ureteral stones
• large stones – more than 2 cm, multiple stones or coral stones of the kidneys and ureter
• prescription of percutaneous nephrolithotripsy as a combination therapy

Indications for mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (mini-PCNL) surgery

• kidney pelvic stones,
• kidney calyx stones
• coral kidney stones.

The lithotripsy device has the shape of a tube, in our case no larger than a pencil, which is inserted into the kidney cavity through a tiny puncture in the patient’s back.

With this technique of removing stones from the kidney, large stones (from 2 to 10 centimeters and more), as well as coral-like and “complex” stones can be removed.

Thus, mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy is a highly effective, modern and safe method of removing large kidney stones. The method is minimally invasive, causes minimal complications, and can solve the problem in one procedure. Due to the minimally invasive nature of the intervention, the patient’s hospital stay is limited to 1-2 days, and a short rehabilitation period allows him or her to quickly return to normal life.

For mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy, a very thin nephroscope (up to 5 mm in diameter) is used. It is injected through the skin in the kidney area directly into the kidney, where laser stone crushing is performed under video control with simultaneous removal of small fragments.

This procedure is performed under general anesthesia for maximum comfort, pain-free and psychological calmness of the patient.

It should be noted that our urologists at the Diyevo Center actively perform combined operations that involve the use of a flexible technique during kidney surgery, with access through the skin (intrarenal surgery technique). This method of treatment is performed in only 10% of urological clinics in the world!