Safety and Efficacy of Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (mini PCNL) in Pediatric Patients with Staghorn Stone: A Single Center Study in Pakistan

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL) in pediatric patients with staghorn stones in Pakistan. Methods The study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Urology, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from December 1, 2022, to June 1, 2023. A total of 140 participants were included in the study using a non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Inclusion criteria included male and female patients aged 3 months to 18 years with sterile urine cultures, while exclusion criteria included malrotation or ectopic pelvic kidneys, uncontrolled urinary tract infections, and comorbidities that contraindicated surgery. The study followed ethical approval and informed consent was obtained from all participants. Data collection involved recording patient demographics, surgical parameters, and postoperative outcomes. The procedures were performed using the Karl Storz Nagele minimally invasive PCNL system, and the Swiss Lithoclast Master was used to fragment the stones. Results The study found that mini-PCNL is a safe and effective treatment option for pediatric patients with staghorn stones, with a stone-free rate of 82.1% and a complication rate of 9.3%. Conclusion The study recommends mini-PCNL as a preferred treatment option for pediatric patients with staghorn stones due to its minimally invasive nature and lower complication rate compared to traditional PCNL. Overall, this study showed that mini-PCNL is a safe and effective therapeutic option for kidney stones in pediatric patients. Future research should be conducted using a wider population to generalize the results.