title: Nephrolithotony: percutaneous removal of renal calculi.
abstract: The development of percutaneous nephrostomy has laid the foundation for a major advance in the treatment of urolithiasis: the percutaneous removal of renal and ureteral calculi (i.e., nephrolithotony). With the use of a variety of instruments, calculi can be either removed intact or, if too large, fragmented in situ and then extracted. The method has wide applicability; more than 90% of all upper urinary tract calculi can be successfully treated. Length of hospitalization and costs are comparable to or less than those for open surgery; however, the period of convalescence is only 2-7 days. Continued advances in fluoroscopic technology and endoscopic instrumentation will enable the urologic surgeon to treat the majority of urinary tract conditions using endourologic techniques.
mesh_terms: D004106:Dilatation / Q000379:methods; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011677:Punctures; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000628:therapy